


The Climb

by RabbitOnSteroids



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: All characters are slightly ooc when the scene calls for it; I'll keep them in line as best I can, Dancetale Papyrus - Freeform, Dancetale Sans, Dragons, Error Sans - Freeform, Eventual babybones, Expect mild abuse here., F/F, F/M, Female Reader, Gaster Sans, Gaster is watching over you, Geno being a dick, Haventale references, He knows their secrets, Heavily Toriel for the first few chapters, HorrorTale Sans, M/M, Mafiatale references, Maybe Mafiatale later??, Mentions of Tickletale Papyrus for now, Meraki, Multi, Multiverse Mansion, Noncon nightmares, Not depression, Only after coming into contact with reader a few times, Papyrus Knows More Than He Lets On, Papyrus has nightmares, Reader Is Not Chara, Reader Is Not Frisk, Reader gets lost in thought easily, Reader has a horrible sense of humor, Reader has persistant depressive disorder, Reader heavily self harms, Reader is Suicidal, Reader tries to be cool; but is an emotionally unstable softie, Rebornswap Papyrus - Freeform, Rebornswap Sans - Freeform, Rebornswap references, Sans has a field day when he finds out, Sans is suspicious of reader, Seriff Sans, Swapfell Papyrus - Freeform, Swapfell Sans, Swapfell references, Tags will be updated as needed, The are so many tags hot damn, Tickletale Sans, Ticklish papyrus, Toriel can see souls without an encounter, Underfell Papyrus, Underfell Sans, Underhell references (much later), Underlust Papyrus - Freeform, Underlust Sans - Freeform, Underswap Papyrus, Underswap Sans, Undertale Sans, Usually at least for a few minutes, Who's just misunderstood, and a dick, but akin to it, dream sans - Freeform, ink sans - Freeform, large build up, mentions of nightmare, multiverse au, reader has nightmares, reader swears a lot, sans has nightmares, slowly furthers into the rest of the plot, ticklish Sans, ticklish reader, undertale papyrus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2018-10-15 10:57:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 23
Words: 130,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10555168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RabbitOnSteroids/pseuds/RabbitOnSteroids
Summary: You don't need help, you don't want help. You're sick of life, and you're trying to off yourself. Sucks that some real monsters are gonna do their damnedest to change your mind. Heavy trigger warning, for future use.





	1. We All Fall Down

You're climbing.  
  
Higher.  
  
_Higher._  
  
You have to get away. You have to.  
You've endured this shit for too long; been brought down by others so much..  
You've started to bring yourself down.  
  
Not that anyone needs to know that.  
  
What is wrong with your life? You have a family. You have food. Clothes. A place to stay with your grandmother. But.. the bond of trust has been shattered, long.. long ago.. you're just not ready to forgive them; even though you _desperately want to_ you just _can't_ forgive.. the ones who've let you down. The ones you thought you could count on. Who would let that happen to a _little girl-_  
  
No. Not again. Stop.  
  
But it was so easy to think how you've been corrupted-  
  
_**STOP**_  
  
"Ow, FUCK!" Holding your hand close to your chest; you had slipped and bent your wrist at an unnatural angle when your footing went on some loose gravel.  
You look it over. It's not cut, and the pain is already fading.. it isn't sprained then.  
And if it isn't sprained, you can keep going.  
  
Faster.  
  
_'I can't let them catch up to me.._  
_Are they even following me? This is..'_  
You stumble.  
   
_Faster._  
  
  
_'This is impossible! Fuck!!'_ You think to yourself.  
  
_'At least it's not raining.. It's just cold and dark and I hate the outdoors at night. No, I'm not afraid. I just hate-'_ you loose footing.  
  
Falling.  
  
You hit the path and start slipping towards a decline, scrabbling at anything to stop yourself from tumbling closer and closer to the edge.. you spot..  
  
_'Is that a-'_  
  
You grab into it as your lower half slips off the precipice of the cliffside. It is indeed a dead branch- or more accurately, you grabbed onto the base of a dead bush. With only your torso on the side of the mountain, and so close to the top, you heave yourself up and choose to slowly climb onto a side path with less loose gravel.  
  
_'Fuck this path. How in the hell am I supposed to get up from here?!'_  
It's true-  
You slipped from what appeared to be a seven foot fall onto a downwards sloped ledge that looked at least several yards long.  
How the fuck will you get to the top?  
  
There's a dark shadow as the sun comes up.  
  
_'Fuuuuck.. I can't let them find me.. they'll send me back to that stupid mental care treatment place..'_ You feel a shudder wreak your body, horrified at the thought. It wasn't that the physical place of the treatment facility bothered you-they just didn't let you have anything sharp. You _NEEDED_ something sharp.. almost every week. You've used knives, scissors, razor blades from your shaving razor.. nothing is as easily maneuverable as your small boxcutter blade you had in your back pocket though. You have needed a blade at work when by the nightshifts by yourself-you don't dare try when there's another co-worker around. You would've been caught if you kept stealing the blades; so you started carrying a blade in your back pocket. Not the whole thing; just the blade part. The rest of it's too bulky to easily swivel letters into your skin.  
  
Shaking your head from your scattered thoughts, you face your options.. hide in the shade, or be eventually found. You always joked about climbing this mountain to off yourself. Nobody but you found it funny.  
  
_'How long will it be before they figured out I'm gone?'_ you think as you make your choice.  
You decide to hide in the shade..  
  
Except it's not shade?? There's an.. entrance here. An enormous, yawning pit in the ground opens up before you. You look into it cautiously before snorting with laughter.  
  
"The heck am I being careful for? This is.. this is.. p-perfect.." You grin even as tears start trailing down your cheeks. They catch on the raised skin of your cheek bones before speeding down the rest of your face, dripping off your chin.  
You would miss them.  
  
_'But they deserve better.. I'm so tired.. I'm so sorry for ruining their lives with my.. uselessness. I can't even make them not worry anymore. They don't believe me when I s-smile and.. they.. they're better off without the likes of a lowlife like me,'_ you look down and to the side at that thought.  
  
"Ugh. You stupid.. fucking idiot. Stop crying. Pathetic."  
Inhale deeply and take a step forward.  
  
You would miss them.  
You were scared.  
You couldn't go back now..  
Looking down at yourself, the sun casts half a shadow on you from the ledge of the precipice above.  
  
You're absolutely littered in tiny cuts.. and.. is that.. some sort of cactus thing. Why is it in your hand?? You look down. And your legs?? Holy fuck it's a good thing you wore jeans. A short sleeved shirt doesn't matter if you're wearing flannel over it that's big enough to have the sleeves go to your finger tips.. right? So people don't see all your scars. But who the heck is gonna see your arms on a mountain and--...cactus pieces.. are stuck in the bottom of your flannel, near your waist. Cactus pieces. Like the little tiny hair looking things that get stuck in your skin and are really fine; and _really fucking hard to see._ And you're not anywhere _near_ a desert! At least they're not really in your flannel as much as your jeans. Which means it was a bush-type plant.  
  
_'Like a cacabur or whatever the fuck they're called,'_ you think to yourself grumpily as you roll up your sleeves and take a look at your arms. You have a lovely blossoming purple bruise on your wrist. You must have popped a semi-important vein. It's only lavender now; but you suspect it'll be more of a royal purple before it fades to a blue or sickly-yellow color. You flip your hands over, giving them one last look before you force yourself to relax, pulling the cuffs of your sleeves down; more out of habit than anything else.  
  
It was time.  
  
Sure, you could do something dramatic; like opening your arms as you fall into the abyss,  like welcoming darkness, your old friend..  
But that isn't you.  
  
You're not special.  
You breath.  
  
_In._  
  
_Out._  
  
Taking a step forward..  
You tumble into the inky blackness.


	2. Well, That Didn't Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fuck this shit.

"Owwwhowwhoww.."  
  
You sit up.  
  
_'What the hell.. where even-'_ you stop the train of thought, your blood running cold.  
  
_'I-It didn't work.. no.. no this is a fucking joke,'_ looking up desperately; you curl your fingers into fists and crush whatever soft and slightly springy plant life is beneath you.  
  
There's a hole about the size of your thumbnail, with beautiful, bright sunshine and a small speck of blue if you looked very closely. You hum in thought.  
  
"So the precipice doesn't cover the whole-OH GAWD!" You shriek as your phone goes off.  
Several new messages.  
One call from your mom, who you don't talk to very often, but you don't _hate_ her..  
The rest from your best friend.  
**34 missed calls**  
**103 messages**  
  
You decide not to open them. You don't want to get their hopes up.. even if they don't know if you read them or not. You power down your phone and stand.  
The ground only had a small patch of flowers. How did that save you? You didn't know; and frankly, you were a little pissed off that they decided to sacrifice themselves for you. Now they were just.. broken little stems and crushed petals everywhere..  
Well, fucking great, now you felt bad you hurt the flowers. It's probably hard enough for them to grow here, in a cave with a stone floor and as little sun as they get. You sigh and rub a hand down your face. There was no way to even remotely try and fix them..  
You were a nature freak; well, sort of, so you usually _tried_ to help when you found something out of whack with nature. Like if you found a piece of a metal wire tied around a tree branch, you would untie it (or go home and get a pliers or some shit; because you were fucking stubborn) and then take it with you just to be thrown in some sort of trash bin you find. Hey, at least it wouldn't be on the tree anymore; and that was the part you cared about.  
  
"Sorry little babies.." You gently pet one and wince as it's petal falls off anyway. "Fine. I can tell I'm not helping," you turn and go the only direction you can.  
  
_'Maybe there'll be another hole I can jump down or something,'_ you causually think as you turn the corner and stuff your hands into your jean pockets.  
  
"Howdy! I'm Flowey the flow-"  
  
"WHAT THE FUCK!!" You screach and literally jump two feet in the air; staring at him like he's bigger than you.. well, at least he sounds like a he. Maybe you should ask. You don't want to be sexist..  
  
"Uh.. You must be new to the Underg-"  
  
"Are you a boy?" You rethink that as Flowey seems to freeze again, not expecting your suddenly curious reaction after you just screamed in fear.  
  
"Oh, geez, that was super rude. I mean, I didn't want to offend you.. you sound masculine, but I don't want to assume you're a guy when your not even human-and no I'm not racist! I just want to know so I don't misgender you. Wait. Do you even have a gender? You're.. a flower.. and ow fUCK!! What the HELL?!" You rub your shoulder blade, feels like fucking fire just rammed into your..  
  
"Did you do th-"  
  
"Shut UP. In THIS world, it's KILL or BE KILLED!!" All you hear is manical laughter from the plant as many ...seeds, they look like? Surrounded you.  
  
Finally, you process what he said and double over, suddenly laughing hysterically.  
  
Not that you could see it in your laughter, but Flowey was displaying an array of emotions across his small face; and one didn't need to be a rocket scientist to conclude that the passing nervousness he displayed was probably because of your vastly different reactions in less than five minutes.  
  
"Oh, man. Thank you."  
  
"What."  
  
You spread out your arms, waiting for his attack.  
  
"No, please, don't give up. I'm all yours."  
  
"..."  
  
"You're right, that sounded creepy, even for me. Let me try again." You clear your throat.  
  
"Kill me, I want to die."  
  
Flowey just stares at you like you had grown another head, or spoke to him in gibberish.  
  
Then suddenly, he's sent flying.  
  
"What a terrible creature, torturing such a poor, innocent youth.."  
  
_'What.'_  
  
"Uh. I'm twenty one. And I'm not innocent. I'm corrupted enough that.." you don't look at the newcomer yet.  
  
"Well, I'm not innocent." She just smiles at you softly, not that you notice.  
  
"My child, here, take my hand." Now you're getting mildly irritated.  
  
"Seriously, I'm not a kid. I am an adult who can legally drink. And we aren't even related.." You mumble the last part quietly. For some reason you don't really understand, you don't want to hurt her feelings..  
  
"Do not worry, I will not hurt you. I am Toriel, caretaker of the ruins." She still offers her hand.  
Or.. paw.  
Thing.  
  
Now that you actually look at it, her paw-hand is huge. And it looks like it has a 50-50 fur to actual muscle and skin ratio. And claws. Toriel has claws. But they're.. remarkably well kept. Like she files them down or something, because they're dull enough to put you at ease. After all, you might want to die, but the only time you want to be cut is when you do it on purpose. Accidents aren't as fun.  
  
Looking over the rest of her..  
Toriel is.. a goat. Person. With two small horns, a purple and white robe, and white fur all over. And she has a muzzle. And ears.  
What.  
What is happening.  
  
"What is going on? Did I end up in hell or something?" Shout-asking no one in particular. You notice her gaze saddens when she hears your words. Back pedaling quickly, you wave your hands in front of your chest.  
  
"N-No, not that you're threatening or anything!! It's just that when you kill yourself, you're supposed to go to hell.. and, well; you're not a demon, I can tell, but you're not exactly a human, either.." Now her eyes glisten over with tears. She's on the verge of crying, bringing her proffered hand up to her chest with her other one, clasping them together loosely.  
  
"What did I do that time?? I'm sorry, I don't know how I keep offending you, so I can't try to make it bett-"  
  
"Why.." You look at her, startled. She's trembling; her eyes staring into your own, boring into your soul.  
  
"What..?" You were sure confusion was written all over your face.  
  
"Why do you talk like this? Like you've.. tried to do terrible things to your very own soul.."  
  
You didn't know how to respond. Your soul? You don't have one of those. They're fake; like those stupid "What's Your Aura Color?!? :DD" quizzes you took back in highschool, like a fool. Even if you did have a soul.. it would be broken. Or black. Or maybe both. You mentally shrug off the thought for now.  
  
Toriel is staring at you.. but it's more like she is seeing something else. You're getting ready to go around her when she comes to and suddenly hugs you from the side.  
  
And that shit isn't going down.  
  
"Let.. me.. GO..!" You're struggling against her; fighting her easily overpowering arms that keep you trapped.  
You're scared.  
Nobody violated your personal space since..  
You shudder violently.  
_Nobody_ gets in your space.  
  
You kick at her, swing a few punches, and you try to bite her (but if you're being honest, that was just a terrible idea in the first place; because all you got was a mouth full of fur). Toriel just holds you against her, taking every hit, every kick you can muster. You aren't very strong; but damn it you would try! Your legs are stronger than your arms; so it wasn't a surprise when your arms got tired first.  
  
"Fuck, let go!!" You're trying to kick at her knees to knock her down, but it's like kicking at a fucking tree stump.  
  
_'What the fuck is wrong with this goat lady?! Does she do nothing but walk all the time!?!'_ You were starting to panic. You couldn't reach her face, and you couldn't scratch her with all that fur.  
  
"LET.. GO.." You were trying to push her away with all your force, and you were getting exhausted. The panic was lacing through your brain, and you couldn't stop, you couldn't,  _couldn'tcouldn'tcouldn't-_  
  
"No.. no, no nono _no_ let me go let me _gooo.._ " You weren't even sure what was happening. All you knew was that you were struggling, squirming and pleading trying to get away from the larger being that locked you in close proximity. The closeness was..  
Unbearable.  
  
Your muscle were aching, and you still struggled. You limply batted your hands against her arms; trying in the last of your stable thought process to get her to let go of you. It didn't take much more than fifteen minutes of your most rambunctious attack from half your body to wear you out.  
  
_'Heh. Guess that's what happens when you jump down a strange hole trying to commit suicide..'_ Your struggles are decreasing by the time you realize she hasn't let go, even an inch. You feel tears starting to prick at the back of your eyes, it burns. You try and push away from her one last time.  
  
"..." You shove against her with less force. Not gently, yet not able to conjure any more. Between the panic and the exhaustion you're just so tired. You let yourself go limp, focusing all your energy on stopping your panic, before it gets to your memories. As you lay like a wet noodle in her arms, Toriel doesn't respond, but she doesn't let go either.  
  
"Please.. let me go. Pl-Please.." You sniffle, trying not to snot on her fur, because that would be gross. You also don't want to be rude.  
You feel her pulling you closer as you went slack. She carries you, bridal style, and you're surprised to find that her arms are very comfortable. So soft.. and warm..  
  
"..."  
  
There's an uncomfortable silence. Like she is burdened with something heavy in her mind as she carries you through what you can only assume are different cave systems.  
For some reason, you get the feeling that you are not the burden.  
  
_'This time,'_ you think as you watch her with half-lidded eyes. She finally speaks, yet only after a great deal of walking and you nearly being asleep.  
  
Toriel tells you of this place. Of her story. Of the 'Ruins,' and how they had a child. Two, actually. One monster.. and a human that fell. She tells you of how her husband has now waged war. Of how dangerous it was in the rest of the Underground.. and how she gets the feeling that you won't stay. Not with someone who would want to take care of you.  
You cringe.  
Toriel does not miss it.  
  
"My child, you are welcome to stay.. I would not harm you, I promise you this."  
  
"I know you wouldn't. But.. that's not what I'm looking for." She lowers her head.  
  
"I understand. Then I will heal you, and let you pass. I.. cannot stop someone who wants to find a way to.." You smile at her softly.  
  
"It's.. not all it's cracked up to be. Alone. Always wondering who you're bothering now.. Heh. I'm surprised you're not annoyed yet. I'm trying to do us both a favor and keep you from hating me." Toriel suddenly stops and looks at you with a horrified expression.  
  
"My child; I would never-!"  
  
"Stop. I've heard those lies before." You sigh.  
  
"I'll make a deal with you. I'll stay around until you get tired of me.. Or I feel.." You shuddered, trying to think of the right word.  
  
"I don't want to say trapped. Maybe.. like I don't want to hold you back anymore. Is that.. Is that okay..?" You look down at how your arms are folded across your chest with interest; or, more accurately, you look at how your arm is pinned between yourself and Toriel's chest and the other is laying across your own. You were a little jealous, if you were being honest. Toriel was.. very well given, on her chest. And you were.. well, you didn't even fit an A-cup; which irritated you thoroughly since the rest of the females in your family were pretty, or smart, or both and-  
  
"-if you would want to." Toriel's words interrupt your thoughts; though you didn't understand her.  
  
"I'm sorry.. I, uh, kinda got distracted and.." Toriel just laughs softly, and you think her laughter is kinda nice.  
  
"It is alright my child. I was just saying I would enjoy the company."  
  
You relaxed immensely in her hold; you didn't realize how tense you had gotten. It's been awhile since someone just.. accepted you on the spot. Toriel noticed how you relaxed and she hums softly, nuzzling into your neck. You squeak and jerk around a bit; it's not that easy since you were relatively trapped against her.  
  
"Oh! My child, did I hurt you?" The concern in her voice is thick, and she paused in her gait to look down at you, which you find kinda endearing. Weird. Humans wouldn't have this affect on you..  
  
"N-No, I'm fine, really. I'm just.. k-kinda.. sensitive.." You can feel the gentle warmth on your face indicating a light blush was starting to form. Toriel just lets out a few huffs of laughter, trying not to offend you.  
  
"Alright my child, I am sorry. I will try and restrain myself." She gives you a genuine smile, and begrudgingly, you accept it. Who can resist someone with a smile like that.  
Fuck.  
  
"Toriel," saying it softly.. so softly, you're only marginally worried about having not been heard.  
  
_'It's not like I'm not used to being ignored though..'_ You start to fidget with your fingers.  
  
"Yes, my child?" Frowning slightly at that; you decide to let her do her own thing. You didn't want to upset Toriel.. you just didnt think it was a good idea to be even remotely consider being related to her. Toriel is strong, from what you've gathered in your panic attack (speaking of, it still hasn't went away. Anxiety is still a thing that's currently happening). She's also very beautiful, even if you aren't a monster, you can see that. The way she holds her head high, and how protective she is you, even though she _obviously_ doesn't know you.  
  
_'Or else she wouldn't be anywhere near scum like me.. why is she even doing this again..? She's just.. so much better off-'_  
  
"My child?" Looking around, you didn't even realize she had paused again. Then, looking up to Toriel and noting that her face is settling into a firm look.. like she's.. decided something..  
She's set back off down the path, passing a tree and approaching a house.  
  
"I think it would be best if you took a warm bath while I cook dinner. Then you can eat, and get some rest." A little off-set by her sudden change in demeanor, you hesitantly ask her,  
  
"Is this your house..?" Toriel laughs softly. You really do like that laugh. It's.. heartfelt. Happy.  
  
"Yes, wouldn't it be strange if I were _house hopping?_ "  
  
"What."  
  
"What does a Froggit say when cleaning their windows?"  
  
"Uh.. I don't know?"  
  
" _Rub it. Rub it. Rub it._ " Toriel mimics a Froggit while nuzzling her nose against yours, and a nearby Froggit gives her a strange look as it passes.  
  
"Oh no.."  
  
"Do you know what the quilt said to the bed?"  
  
"Stop"  
  
"I've got you _covered!_ "  
  
"Put me the FUCK down."  
  
"What kind of monster can jump higher than a house?" ..admittedly, this one got you curious.  
  
"..what kind?"  
  
" _Any kind!_ A house can't jump!"  
  
"AUUGH!" Flopping over dramatically in her arms, you gave up. Secretly, you were really, _really_ trying hard not to smile. Toriel didn't need to know her jokes were actually kinda funny; she might be a nerd and keep going. She only chuckles at your lamenting; setting you down in the bathroom and grabbing you a towel and some fresh clothes. Mainly a night gown entirely too large for you with short sleeves.  
  
"I apologize for the shirt; it would seem you are a little too big to fit the.. other clothing I have." She deflated a bit before her warm smile came right back. Toriel rubs you on the top of your head before she adds,  
  
"Have a nice bath." Confusion seemed to be your main status. It was usually what you seemed to feel-at least since meeting.. monsters. Funny, monsters are supposed to be grotesque and horrible creatures.. yet you can't quite agree with that.  
  
_'They're better than any creature I've ever had the pleasure of meeting before.'_ after removing your shirt, pink scars littered across your arms are showing. There are so many.. you take a chance and look over them again. There are only two words on your arms; one from when you started and one that had never been finished.. the fallout with that ex-friend had been ugly. Not to mention the basic lines that crossed your arms in the shortest distance possible. Patches of lines anywhere from seven to seventeen were faded in different degrees on your arms. The first thing you ever cut into your skin had been a design; in hindsight it kinda looks like Zorro' s 'Z' that he carved into trees.  
Tree.. harmer.. it's technically not murdering the tree..? You shake your head, getting back on track. At least the middle line had disappeared.. or, well; faded enough that it was _really_ hard to see. As for the other direction..  
  
There had only been one scar that had been lengthways down your arm.. and if someone else looked at it, you were sure they would think it was a suicide attempt. However, it was punishment. You broke a gift that your best friend had given you; and maybe by itself that wouldn't be important enough to deem stressful to most people.. but this was your last friend. Not to mention the gift had been handed down in her family. So, you did what you had trained yourself to do. There was this beautiful, big blue vein (that really wasn't supposed to be next to your skin; because before you cut your wrist, when you compared your wrist to someone else's.. well. They didn't have a big blue vein. Probably meant it was supposed to be more towards the inside of your ulna and radius). You had been saving it for something special with your blade, but.. punishment is something you take very seriously. So you cut down, and tried to follow the vein. You did poorly. But, you did manage to open it..  
  
_'It's just a fucking shame it couldn't have been a suicide attempt. It was open.. it was so pretty..'_ Suddenly you come to the realization that you literally have your sins on your skin. Not that you're terribly religious.. You believe in God, who doesn't? It's just.. how can you care when you know you're going to hell? You snort.  
  
_'I' m the fucking devil; I OWN hell.'_ With that, you strip and see the rest of the scars, once on your right clavicle, a small batch of basic scars on either side of your neck.. though the one on the right side has a wider range than the one on your left. Your shoulder bears a word and a design, along with one of your hands. Further down four lines of words (a small paragraph, you like to think) on your stomach, where your ribs start to float; another word in another language on your side (so people can read them but not understand them; the fact that you've carved yourself should be obvious warning enough). A word on each hip, one faded above your nethers and slightly to your left, and some more basic scaring on your legs with six more words.  
  
Yeah, yeah; it's wrong, you know. But you're proud of your work nonetheless. Never scarred below your knees though.. you have about fifteen of them and they're all from bike accidents. It's greatly amusing, and you smile as you plan to keep it strictly the 'bike accident scar' area.  
So much for a motorcycle.. not that you need it down here anyways.  
  
You straighten up and look towards the mirror. You had dyed your hair blue, and didn't bring the dye with you.. it would definitely fade out into that gross brown hair you disliked so much. It's not that brown wasn't pretty, you liked the color on trees.. in your honest opinion; it's just a boring haircolor. Finally, you noticed your glasses. It's nothing short of amazing that they aren't cracked from the fall; you wouldn't be able to see shit without them. Sighing, you turn on the tub and wait for the water to warm up to the temperature you liked.  
  
Once it was ready, you filled the tub and climbed in, pleased by the temperature you chose.  
  
_'Wowie.. it's been forever since I took a bath.. and it feels like it's been even longer since I've been clean..'_ As you're gently cleaning the small cuts on your skin, Toriel knocks.  
  
And you remember something _very_ important to you.  
  
As Toriel is opening the door, you screech out,  
  
"FUCK, WAIT! I'm nOT DECENT!!" You scramble around and fumble with your pants pockets, taking your phone and put it on your nightgown while you took your two inch blade into the tub with you. As Toriel hears you get back into the tub, she knocks again.  
  
"I-It's fine.." Toriel comes in and notices all the bubbles surrounding you, with your back turned to her and your arms in front of your chest. Not that you had anything to hide on your chest of course.  
  
"I'm just here for your clothes, my child." She gathers them and stands, pausing briefly when she catches a glimpse of your phone, but decides to let it be, opening the door and closing it with a soft click.Waiting a few moments after she leaves, you let out a sigh and lift the blade from the water to dry it off with the towel.  
  
_'I hope it doesn't rust.. it's the only one I have now.. or that ugly almost black color! ..but I think that has something to do with the iron in my blood..'_ Puzzling over this, you finish cleaning yourself; washing your hair and drying off. Now came the hard part.  
  
Where to hide your blade..?  
  
Whatever room you got was obviously the best choice.. unless she made you sleep on the couch; Toriel seems mom enough though, she wouldn't do that..  
  
_'She mentioned that there were clothes that didn't fit me.. I'm willing to bet she didn't have her children sleep with her forever. Still, not sure how I would feel about sleeping in a dead child's old room.. I mean it's nice of her, but it's still kinda messed up.'_ As you're slipping on the shirt (which really is more of a nightgown on you), Toriel calls to you. You peek your head out the door.  
  
"Yeah Tori??" She stopped and looked at you for a moment.  
  
"Er, sorry, I hope my nickname didn't offend y-" She snorts.  
  
"Oh goodness, my child, no. You just reminded me of.. a friend." You wriggle your eyebrows.  
  
"OOOoooh, a BOY friend??" Toriel starts laughing even harder, trying and failing several times to say something.  
  
"M-My ch-child, who raised you..?" While her giggles are making it difficult for her to speak; the smile you were sporting drops immediately. Though you force a fake one on when Toriel finally composes herself enough to stand and look at you.  
  
"S-So, uh, you don't mind me calling you T-Tori..?"  
  
"You may call me that if that is what makes you happy, my child."  
  
"I'll be out soon, Tori." Ducking back into the bathroom, you close the door and open the door under the sink, feeling for the ledge that goes right above the stabilizing beam for the front facing doors. Feeling it out; you guess it's half an inch and more than enough to hold your blade if your prop it firmly.  
Reaching inside, you end up putting the blade side towards the bottom beam, you lean it as much as you can towards the front face of the sink and let it sit there; gently closing the doors and standing. Grabbing your towel and phone, you brace yourself for the dinner with Tori.  
Dinners.. aren't really something you've learned to enjoy. It's awkward to you, sitting around a bunch of people with food.  
Not that it used to be; you're just used to eating when there's no one else around.. you sighed and Tori perked her ears, turning her head to you.  
  
"Oh! My child, you could have left that towel in the bathroom."  
  
"Oh, uh, sorry.."  
  
"Do not fret, just go put it on the hanger." You nodded, doing as you were told before coming back and sitting down.  
Tori placed pie in front of you.  
  
"Uh.. n-not that I'm complaining.. but is this the whole dinner?" Toriel turns to you with some surprise.  
  
"Do you not like pie? I can make you something else, if you prefer."  
  
"N-No! That's not it! Humans just.. don't usually eat just desert.."  
  
"You shouldn't have a problem with monster food; it's not quite the same as human food." She winked at you.  
  
"Um??" Toriel began explaining the differences over dinner, prompting you to take a bite every so often so that it didn't get too cold.  
  
"So basically; I'm eating magic. Right now." She chuckled.  
  
"Yes and no. It's not free-flowing like our magic." She created a ball of fire in her palm, and you watched with no small amount of awe. "It's more like concentrated magic. Like..  the juice of the fruit is our magic. The fruit itself, it the food."  
  
"That's a good analogy; but how do you know what fruit is?" She looked ..dismayed all of a sudden. Like all the light had been taken from the world.  
  
"When I was very young, I had been on the surface. I can only barely remember.. I had tried fruit, even though Gerson warned me not to. My body did not react well with human food," she laughed lightly; but you noticed tears were pricking at the corners of her eyes.  
  
"Ah. That is enough for tonight, my child. Go brush your teeth, and get ready for bed."  
  
"I don't have a toothbrush."  
  
"There is one waiting for you in the bathroom."  
  
"How do you find all of these things??"  
  
"Well, I receive them from the city not far from here. As for how the city acquired them, I do not know."  
  
"Ah." Standing, you're about to take your plate when Tori takes it and puts it on top of her own.  
  
"Teeth. Bed." Patting your head, she walks into the kitchen with the dishes.  
  
You shrug, then turn on your heel and go to the bathroom. There is, indeed, a toothbrush. And toothpaste. Setting about brushing your teeth, you finish quickly and step out of the bathroom only to nearly collide with Toriel.  
  
"Ah, good. You must be ready for bed then." She leads you to a nearby room and opens the door. It looks like a children's room.  
  
_'Called it,'_  
  
"Do not be afraid to ask for me; I will be right next door." Smiling fondly at you, she rubs your head and then gently shuts the door.  
Having a smile of your own, you shut out the lights and get comfortable in the bed.  
  
_'This is actually.. really.. really nice..'_


	3. Is Green Magic Ticklish?

Waking up the next morning is a bit hard; feeling the warmth of bed surround you while just being half awake and half asleep leaves you in a soft, comfortable limbo. With absolutely no intentions of getting up; you brush your legs against each other in a relaxed anticipation for the day.

 _'I'm going to need a razor..'_ Rubbing your legs together, you feel the stubble on your legs providing a satisfying scratch to an itch you didn't even know you had. Just curled up in the slightly-too-small (but still hella comfortable) bed, you've never felt so relaxed.

Until you realized your bladder needed to go.

You rapidly sit up straight, nearly sprinting into the bathroom and opening the door (you didn't have a lot of time at the moment; so you shoved the door closed, but it didn't shut all the way. Almost all the way. The door lock was pressed against the stupid little piece of metal it was supposed to slide into, anyways. It's not like Tori would peek in on you, but..). You just barely make it to the toilet before you leaked a little.

 _'Thank God the seat was up,'_ huffing to yourself, you relax and finish, being sure to wash your hands after flushing.  
Which brought you to the next thought..

 _'How does the Underground have plumbling??'_ Shrugging off the random thought, you head back to your room; since Tori doesn't seem to be around. As you about to crawl back into bed, you step on something stiff and squishy. It oozes between your toes, going around the arches of your foot and making a gross sucking nose when you lift your left leg.

Looking down, you spot a plate and what looked like a piece of pie.

 _'What the hell? Who just leaves food on the floor?! Ants are a nuisance, and even if we don't have a lot of dirt; I'm pretty sure there's still ants down here!'_ Groaning, you use the bed frame to hop towards the wall, using the wall for support as you make your way back to the bathroom.

 _'Seriously though. What the hell. I was just about to get back to bed,'_ you internally whined to yourself.

After you got to the bathroom, you washed off your foot in the tub and drying it so it didn't pick up more crumbs. Then you head back to pick up the now foot-indented plate of pie. Looking around briefly for a vacuum cleaner and not finding one ( _'They can't have everything down here, I guess'_ ), you start picking up the pieces of pie you had knocked off your foot while hopping around. Surprisingly, there weren't that many, and they were few and far between. The majority of the crumbs were on the carpet in a circle, indicating where the plate had been and where you stepped on the pie.

Twenty minutes of picking up small pieces of pie and pie crust off the floor later, it looks clean again. Taking the plate to the kitchen, you mornfully throw out the smooshed pie into the trash bin. As you turn around, you spot something beautiful. It was.. huge, and amazing, and you couldn't help yourself. A beautifully golden pie was wafting in front of you, indicating it was still warm. It looked like only one piece was missing. It also smelled amazing. Why wash this plate and dirty another one? You weren't much of a germophobe, so you didn't particularly care. Carefully cutting so the slice you take is about the same size as the first, you take another slice and set it gently on your plate. You feel a slight pang of guilt.

 _'I hope she doesn't get mad that I'm eating all her food,'_ biting your lower lip, you hesitate.

 _'Maybe I shouldn't.. I'm not that hungry anyways,'_ you lie to yourself, feeling your stomach growl.

"My child, I'm glad you're a healthy eater, but next time please, let me cut the pie." Yelping, you startle and nearly drop the plate. You hadn't heard her come out of her room, or enter the house. What the hell?

"N-No, I didn't mean- I just- I might've kinda-" Toriel chuckles softly behind her hand, looking at you with laughter dancing in her large, soft eyes.

"My child, I am not worried. If you are hungry, please make sure to eat." She rubs your head, signalling that she wasn't mad at you in the slightest.

Not that you take it that way.

"No, that's not what I meant. I didn't see the pie you left on the floor when I woke up and I stepped on it and I'm sorry!" Tears threatened to slip past your eyes. You didn't mean to step on it.. was she going to throw you out for being so disrespectful? Or maybe she'll take back her pie and make you starve for being so-

"My child!" Tori was shaking you by the shoulders a bit roughly. The pie wasn't in your hands anymore. Looking down, you spot the broken ceramic and pie splattered on the floor.

 _'Oh no.. now she really is gonna kick me out.. You useless fucker! Can't you do anything right?! Just for once? In your entire life..?'_ Tears fall as you realized Toriel had pulled your shaking frame into a gentle hug, easily surrounding your entire frame. Not that you were that big, what, 5'4 and 130? 125? Somewhere in there. Not like you went to the doctor very often or had the chance to weigh yourself a lot..

"There there, my child, hush now," rubbing small, admittedly soothing circles into your back and shoulder blades, she easily picks you up.

"No, wait, the m-mess.. I need to clean it-"

"Absolutely not." Tori's voice is firm as she sets down in her chair, easily maneuvering you so you sat across her lap, slightly leaning into her left shoulder.

"Let me see." Taking your legs with her right arm, she looks for any cuts you might have from dropping the plate. Thoroughly scanning your lower legs, she spots a nice bright red line on the top of your left foot and tucks that information away while she scans the rest of your feet. Then, something you weren't quite expecting. Tori placed her right paw about two inches from your scratch and some.. thing.. comes trailing down her arm. It looks green.. but more like it's tinted green. Like a type of smoke that's supposed to be clear, in a green lasor light. The type of light you seen once when you got high with your old roomates. It was cool, but mostly hypnotic, like the smoke-substance now. As the smoke tendrils and wraps further down her arm, you start to grow nervous.

"It will not hurt my child; this is only healing magic," she murmers, focused on the task at hand. Your scratch had started to dribble blood in two different veins that trailed diagonally down the side of your arch.  
As it was about to touch, you thought you felt some sort of pressure on your foot, but brushed it off since Toriel's hand was still a few inches away. When it did finally reach you, it enveloped your foot, slowly, like fog rolling in off the ocean. It made its way partly up your leg, but didn't seem to go any further.  
That's when you felt it.

It tickled.

Now, you weren't that ticklish (you've convinced yourself; even if it wasn't particularly true), at least not on your feet. You did have a couple sweet spots; but it's been so long since anyone actually tried to tickle you, that you didn't even know how ticklish you actually were. Or where you were most and least ticklish. So, saying this came as a slight shock when you found the healing magic softly.. It felt like it was scratching, but not actually scratching. More like rubbing fiercely while being gentle at the same time. Saying it came as a slight shock.. well. That was a bit of an understatement.

You wriggle a little, giggling in bursts as you try to control it and fail spectacularly. Toriel seems to find this endlessly amusing.

"I might have forgotten to mention that this may tickle." She was smirking at you. You try to glare at her, but you give up when you realize that the point is moot because you can't stop the huge smile across your face.

Fucking tickling. Your one weakness.

Shoving your face into Tori's shoulder, you try to muffle the squeaks and giggles that you had to endure. It was a light type of tickling; like someone running the spine of a feather over your feet. Or a very soft hairbrush; the kind you tried once or twice in your life and they didn't work for shit.

 _'This is fucking tortureee..!'_ Not noticing Tori nodding to herself, she seemed pleased with her work and looked down at you with a playfully evil grin.

"Now, where has my child gone..?" You ignore her. You don't want to know what she's up to with that playful edge to her voice. Not that you didn't have your suspicions.

"Could she be.. here?!" Tori attacked your side, causing you to violently jerk away from her touch and let out a long, too high-pitched squeal for your liking. As she spidered her fingers gently across your ribs, poking her dulled claws between each individual one with care, she nuzzled into your neck with her snout; causing you to laugh out loud.  
You had been trying your best to hold it in, but what chance did you stand now? Your giggles flowed past your smiling mouth with no hindrance whatsoever; turning into sharp barks of laughter as you tried to reign it back in. Squirming as much as you could; you kept trying to wrap your hands with hers-the trick you learned long ago that works wonders; since all your previous attackers couldn't tickle you with your hands in theirs. You would even rather take the teasing of 'Aww, you're holding my hand!' However, she just kept tickling you around your hand; you really underestimated the size difference. You continue the fight anyways-you might have lost your pride, but you can still regain your dignity.

"N-NOOOHOHOHOO! AHH!!"

"Oh, what is this? I think not," at this, she started using her left arm-which had been wrapped around you to keep from squirming too much and falling off her lap-to continue to tickle your side and occasionally squeezing your hip; which got you to buck and wriggle each time she did so. Using her other hand, she slid it over your stomach, scratching on every side of your bellybutton in a slow, closing spriral before she actually dipped a clawed finger in, just to go to your floating ribs and attack there before repeating the process. Sometimes she would switch it up and dig into your bellybutton before going outwards; or skip your ribs entirely to continue assaulting your stomach.

You were in your own personal hell. However.. You you were unable to think of the usual, 'they're in my space' thoughts and more.. not being able to think at all. Just desperately trying to get away from the gentle yet thorough tickles you were on the receiving end of; like most 'lees might. But alas, try as you might, Tori kept a firm hold on you- no matter how much you twisted, kicked, curled or flopped around; she didn't even need to readjust her hold on you. Losing strength, you were tempted to just give up; to lay there and take it while laughing your head off.

"TAHAHA-TORIIII!! AHAHAHA," As tears were starting to gather at your eyes, Toriel slowly eased her menstrations.  
With nothing but having her draw soothing shapes on your upper stomach, your hiccuping laughter faded into hitched breathing; and even that soon petered out, smoothing into more even breaths.

Finally being able to look up, you were greeted with a fairly pleasant sight.

Toriel was holding you, her arms wrapped around your frame like a mother to a child. And her face.. carried the most amount of love you had ever seen. In your life. The tenderness and care that she so obviously felt for you that even you could figure it out..  
You felt tears prick at your eyes.

"I.. I don't deserve this.."

"My child..? What do you mean?" Your eyes widen.

Fuck. She heard you. Yes; you had said it out loud, but for some reason you had thought that it was in your head, that you had only barely worded it with your lips rather than breathing it out.

"It's nothing. Don't mind me, sorry.." A large, soft, incredibly not-what-you're-really-feeling smile crossed your face. Having had so much practice that you've thoroughly perfected it; you didn't really worry about her seeing through it when so many others haven't.

Toriel sighs softly, her entire demeanor taking on a defeated look before she confronts you, conviction in her eyes.

"My child, this is not," she breathes deeply, seemingly trying to find the right words, and tries again, "How did you receive all those many scars..?"

Eyes widening, you felt fear paralyze you. Everyone always judged you. Nobody understood. You had tried to tell someone, in a moment of weakness.. and it blew up in your face. You had tried to tell many someones. It always ended the same. The emotional war you felt.. the hurt.. the fear. The way it was so extreme it became _physical_ pain. You turned to your blade. Your second best friend; and only other friend besides your very best friend. No one understood that. The need to block it out. The need for an ounce of control in your storm of a mind. For you, physical pain always blocked out mental pain. Always.  
It was like you explained: when you are worried about something (A B or C; it doesn't really matter), and you accidentally stub your toe on a table leg or something.. well. You're not exactly thinking of A, B, or C now are you? You're thinking of your poor smashed toe, and you might be cursing. That was what your blade was to you. A way to cut ( _'heh,'_ ) through your thoughts and reach a sort of inner serentity, or sanctuary, or whatever peaceful fucking thing happens. You _needed_ your blade.

"My child.. I understand that it might be hard for you, but I need to know that I can keep you safe.. _Please._ " Tears were threatening her pretty eyes.

Fuck.  
Who could resist a request from Tori..?  
Even if.. even if it meant.. You sighed, and steeled yourself.

"I did." She looked at you with confusion.

"I.. did.. I did it to myself, Tori.."

What happened next is something you've seen before, so it wasn't surprising; even though it did hurt your soul a little to witness it.

Tori's face contorted with extreme sorrow; having suspected that you were the cause of your scarring. You could tell by the way she was half-heartedly trying to word with her mouth that she couldn't find her voice right at the moment.

So you took control.

"I'm.. not very good at explaining things. But, I'll do my best. You deserve that much."  
So you did. You pointed towards every scar on your arm, explaining each story of self-hatred behind it. Each version of punishment that you didn't get from the world as you deserved, so you put it upon yourself. Literally. On your shoulders, and neck, where you decided to keep a design that showed your flaws, Toriel observed, only running a soft thumb over it in an acknowledged response. You didn't show her, because you were only in your nightgown, but you pointed to the words that you've forgotten the meaning to on your hips; telling her that they aren't good, whatever their meanings are anymore, and their stories. When you came to the small paragraph on your stomach, she asked what you meant. You told her, it was a small part of a song you had felt emotionally attached to for more than one reason. She didn't ask further.  
The nightgown had ridden up enough on your lap from all your squirming that you could show her a few scars on your legs. Not the fresher ones that were closer to your nethers; but the more faded ones from a few years back.  
Toriel took all of this in stride, not interrupting you more than once. You were glad; because you didn't know if you had the strength to answer anymore questions without crying.

"My child, I love you, and I am truly sorry that the surface had been so cruel to you." Tori pulled you closer into a hug, and after being emotionally drained (without even crying, which wasn't new to you), you let her. Hell, you even brought up your arms and squeezed them behind her, bringing your hands up to her shoulders to hug her back.

Sitting up, you move to get off her, and she lets you go. It was kinda awkward sitting on her lap like a child; you were a grown adult, and adults didn't do that unless they were with their partners. You head back towards the kitchen, and you see nor hear any sign of Tori attempting to stop you. Searching for a broom, you find one in a small pantry, along with it's matching dustpan sitting on the floor next to it.

You sweep thoroughly; not wanting to have Tori step on any glass and start bleeding like you did. Which reminds you.. after you had gotten it all into a pile, you kneel down to the floor and examine your foot. The blood was still there, but dried up now. The cut itself healed.. like it was never there.

_'Huh.'_

You ponder over the idea of healing magic; and magic in general as you sweep up the mess. Grabbing the washcloth from the sink counter, you wipe down the wet part of the pie that dried onto the floor; scrubbing a bit to make sure it got off. After that was done, you wipe the blood off the side of your foot and rinse the washcloth out. Then the sink and as you ring out the washcloth-and before you take it with you, you quickly put the broom back-that you nearly forgot to do. No need to be rude, after all.

You leave the kitchen and were about to ask Tori where you should put the dirtied washcloth; seeing as you just used it on the floor and your previously bloodied foot, and it should probably not be used for dishes again.  
Then you heard it.

Was she.. crying?

Washcloth in hands, you fiddled with it as you approached the back of her chair. Tori was slumped over, face in her hands as her fur was getting wet from her tears. Her breathing was soft, but heavy, hiccuping once in a while. She was so focused on trying to be quiet she didn't even hear you walk over.

"T-Toriel..?"  
She jumped and quickly wiped her eyes while taking a large, shuddery breath.

"A-Ah, my child. I forgot to ask you your name. How r-rude of me." She turns to you and offers a shaky smile.

"Y/N. My name is Y/N." Tori nods a bit too quickly.

"That is a beautiful name, my child. My Y/N."

"Not really, but thank you, I guess.." You had looked down to the floor to your left, and Tori gives you a saddened look at your statement, sighing.

"I will go clean up the mess in the kitchen. Please, feel free to do whatever you like, so long as it's not dangerous." She stood and passed you.

Feeling like the sneaky little shit you were, you stealthily ran off to your room (you had partially mastered stealth throughout your life. You weren't always great; but you had your moments) and closed the door upon entering, just in time to hear,

"My _child!!_ "

 _'And que the heavy footsteps towards your room.'_ You simply locked the door and smirked, feeling rather pleased with yourself.


	4. Now We Know Where Tori Goes.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Changes POV's like a bawhs. **slips on shades**

So far, you've stayed with Toriel for eight months. Tori is very nice; and while you respect her and never talk back (though you do complain loudly when she tells her terrible puns), you feel like you're missing something. Mentally, that is. Like you can't put two pieces of a puzzle together. Tori keeps pulling this.. disappearing act every so often. You haven't narrowed it down to every night or couple of nights or so. She's just too sneaky for you.  
  
"Hey Tori, what are we gonna do today?" Calling out through the house, you walk the halls, passing through the living room in hopes to catch her in the kitchen.  
  
Toriel wasn't there.  
  
Walking back down the hall, you pass by your room and approach hers. Gently, you knock on her door.  
  
No answer.  
  
_'Not here, either..'_  
  
What if she left? She's been gone more and not frequently and.. maybe you're over thinking it? It's not like Tori would leave you. She said she wouldn't.  
  
_'You fucking idiot. She's getting tired of your stupid, depressing presence. You never even pretend to be happy for her! Would it be so hard?!'_ Shaking your head subtly to yourself, you figure that, no; it wouldn't be that hard.  
  
You turn on your heel and head towards the bathroom. Already having cut several times in the Underground, you have a pattern set. Closing the bathroom door quietly, you lock it and turn towards the sink. You kneel down into a crouching position; opening the cabinet door and reaching inside, carefully taking out your well-hidden blade.  
  
Wondering where you'll engrave, you pause.  
  
_'Maybe I'll just do a couple basic cuts.. I need to be put in my place; but I don't have a lot of time, after all. I just can't start thinking I'm special or anything. Heh, you stupid fucker. What a joke..'_ Deciding you'll find a spot on your left arm, you roll up your sleeve. You don't want to get into anything too complicated; less Toriel come back and find out. Somehow. You wouldnt be surprised if she found a way to interrupt you while you were in the middle of working.  
  
Making the first cut, you realize it's a bit too shallow to actually do anything more than bead out little drops of blood. The adrenaline will kick in shortly, and then you'll be able to make the meaningful slices. As you made a few more incisions, you notice the blood gathering together in a few of your most recent cuts, and it quickly starts dripping down your arm. You barely move your arm in time to save your clothes from becoming bloodstained and suspicious. Grabbing some toilet paper; you wipe up the blood on your arm and let it gather in the tissue as you take another few pieces off the roll and clean the blood drop spatter off of the tiled floor.  
Thank goodness it wasn't carpet; or you would REALLY be busted.  
You make a few more cuts, making eleven new bright red, beautifully glistening crimson lines on your skin; and re-cutting the first five to even out the depth between the cuts. Taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of your handiwork, you start rummaging through the first aid kit while some more toilet paper is pressed against your small wounds. You take a gauze roll and cut a bit off with the safety scissors in the box; and next the medical tape. Using as little tape as possible, you cut four pieces (about as big as your thumb knuckle to the tip of your thumb) to keep your gauze in place above your blood patch.  
  
Not wanting to waste anymore of Tori's very limited emergency stash, you put it back and roll down your sleeve. You toss the now blood-soaked tissues that you used on your arm into the toilet and flush it. Standing up, you turn towards the sink, turning on the hot water. After you wash your hands, you focus on getting your blade cleaned. You scrub off the already-dried blood with much more care than you possibly needed; gently yet thoroughly patting it dry with the nearby handtowel and returning it to its hiding spot.  
  
_'There. No evidence.'_ Walking out of the bathroom as if nothing ever happened, you feel much more emotionally 'empty' than you did before, much more in control. Then you notice Toriel coming up from the basement.  
  
"My child? What.. I thought you had gone on a walk.."  
What was she hiding..? She had told you it was dangerous down there. The rest of the Underground, and blah blah blah. Admittedly, you lost interest once you figured out why it was dangerous; you were hoping it was because it wasn't taken care of and falling apart, so that a rock might crush you or something.  
  
Walking away, you slip on your shoes almost mechanically; opening the front door to go on a walk while Toriel calls to you. You close the door behind you, effectively cutting off her voice.  
  
She wanted to lie to you? Fine.  
She wanted you to go on a walk? Fine.  
  
You started walking.  
  
  
************************************  
  
  
You've lost track of time what felt like hours ago. Feet hurting, legs hurting, even your back was in pain. You were pretty sure it was about midnight, judging by how your body felt so fatigued.  
  
_'Damn, I'm so tired..'_ Just as you were thinking this, you spotted a comfortable looking pile of leaves between two pillars. It looked like the only path through this part of the ruins, but like hell you were going back to Toriel. You didn't even know why you were so angry at her; you just felt.. betrayed? Hurt?  
  
But _why?_  
  
_'Ugh, what the fuck ever. This is why I don't do relationships,'_ walking over to the pile of leaves, you fall to your knees and promptly pass out.  
  
  
************************************  
  
  
"Uh.. hello..?"  
  
"Are you still.. alive..?"  
  
Making a small noise of displeasure, you look up before noticing a figure about half your size floating nearby; just above your head. Whatever. You can't bring yourself to care whatsoever.  
  
You go back to sleep.  
  
  
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/  
  
  
**Napstablook's POV**  
  
  
"Are you still.. alive..?"  
  
_'This human.. looks..'_  
  
They watched as you make a small, sleepy sound that seems to try to be leaning towards grumpy.. but was actually rather cute..  
  
Napstablook blushed a bit.  
  
Then you go back to sleep.  
Huh..  
Maybe they should go get some help..? But they didn't want to leave you by themselves.. Napstablook floats to the left of the leaves; then floats to the other side and repeats, looking around the pillars.  
  
No one.  
  
Something didn't seem right.. like if they left you might disappear. Mulling it over for a few minutes, they made a decision. Napsta settled down and 'sat' next to your sleeping form so they could watch over you until you woke up.  
  
  
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/  
  
**Toriel's POV**  
  
  
Toriel was frantic. She was looking around for you; and every time she had managed to catch a glimpse of you, you managed to give her the slip! She was growing increasingly frantic for your safety, frequently calling out for you and asking the local Froggits and Whimsums if they had seen you.  
  
"My child! Y/N!"  
  
"My CHILD!"  
  
Tori paused to listen.  
  
Nothing.  
  
"Y/N! Y/N please answer me!"  
  
Pause.  
  
Nothing.  
  
_'My child, where ARE you..?'_ Leaning heavily against a wall, Toriel had to pause to wipe at her sweat-soaked fur above her eyes. Tired was an understatement, her dress was filthy at the hem. Not to mention she had been searching for hours; and she had checked over the ruins three different times, where could you _possibly_ keep hiding??  
  
She was losing hope. Tori didn't mean.. she had thought you had been out on a walk! How was she supposed to..  
  
Looking up, she chose to take a short break to regain some stamina.. and chose to reflect on the first time she met you.  
  
  
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  
  
  
Toriel was humming to herself as she walked through the ruins; searching for anyone who might have fallen down. She had promised herself to take care of humans as long as Asgore threatened them. So she walked, checking the ruins daily on her never ending quest. As she approached the second to last room, she paused. She knew she couldn't bring herself to visit the very last one.. where she buried her lost..  
  
An erupted laughter brought her out of her thoughts, and she went farther, towards the second to last room.  
  
"Pl... k...me" She strained her hearing and quickened her pace. As Toriel came around the corner, she's surprised to find a human talking to a flower monster- Toriel's eyes widened dramatically.  
  
White attack pellets surrounded the human.  
How can another monster be attacking such a small..  
  
Before she could stop herself; Toriel felt her rage burning inside of her. It manifested itself inside her magic; quickly forming into one of her larger fireballs. As she hurled the magic towards the flower, she noticed your stance. You had your arms out.. You had been showing mercy..  
  
Walking over, Toriel checked herself to keep her emotions in line.  
  
"What a terrible creature, torturing such a poor, innocent youth.."  
  
She noticed the humans face contort into something akin to confusion.  
  
"Uh. I'm twenty one. And I'm not innocent. I'm corrupted enough that.." The human looked away from her, almost with.. disappointment, perhaps?  
  
"Well, I'm not innocent." Toriel just smiles at them.  
  
"My child, here, take my hand." They looked thoroughly miffed.  
  
"Seriously, I'm not a kid. I am an adult who can legally drink. And we aren't even related.." They mumble the last part quietly, and Toriel finds this endearing that they think she can't hear them, like they don't want to admit it.  
  
"Do not worry, I will not hurt you. I am Toriel, caretaker of the ruins." She still offers her hand.  
  
The human stares at it blankly for a bit. Maybe it's her claws..? She had just filed them down last night, did she not? They shouldn't look too terribly sharp.. the human has no reason to be afraid of her. Toriel glanced at her claws quick, just to be sure. Yes, they were filed down.  
The human still did not take her hand. The atmostphere was starting to become awkward..  
  
She noticed the human taking a quick look over the rest of her. She supposed they were trying to assess if she was a threat to them.  
  
"What is going on? Did I end up in hell or something?" They had shouted, but she thought there was a genuine curiosity to the tone of their voice. That.. that is the part that had her drawing her hand back towards her chest, followed quickly by the other as they entwine together loosely, and she realizes something..  
  
"N-No, not that you're threatening or anything!! It's just that when you kill yourself, you're supposed to go to hell.. and, well; you're not a demon, I can tell, but you're not exactly a human, either.." Her eyes begin to glisten over with tears. She's on the verge of crying; trying her very best not to openly weep in front of you.  
  
"What did I do that time?? I'm sorry, I don't know how I keep offending you, so I can't try to make it bett-"  
  
"Why.." As they turn to look to her, Toriel can't tear her eyes away from your soul hidden in your chest. She's trembling, she knows, but she can't stop..  
  
"What..?" Confusion had glossed over their face.  
  
"Why do you talk like this? Like you've.. tried to do terrible things to your very own soul.."  
  
Toriel is staring at them.. she seen their soul.. It had been cracked it two places; right next to each other. One was nearly half way to your center.. what.. what had _happened_ to..? She quickly brought the human closer, no longer able to bear looking at the soul, bringing them into a hug as you tried to pass her by.  
  
"Let.. me.. GO..!" They had stiffened and almost immediately started struggling against her; fighting her easily overpowering arms that keep them trapped.  
  
They were just scared..  
  
They started to kick at her, punch at her, and even to bite her (even if they only got a mouthful of fur from the action, which Toriel found equally amusing and irritating). She just holds the human against her, taking every hit, every kick they can throw at her. They aren't very strong; but they were brave enough to try.  
  
"Fuck, let go!!"  
  
The human is starting to kick at her knees, but their kicks are weak.. if the child is really their age, aren't they a little light..? Surely humans could hit harder than this? Unless..  
  
 Toriel could tell they were panicking. They tried to scratch at her face; but couldn't quite reach it. Her fur had already shown to be pretty effective against their attacks as well.  
  
"LET.. GO.." The human is trying to push her away with all their force (which Toriel had to admit wasn't much), and they were quickly exhausting what little strength they had to begin with. The panic that they were experiencing is starting to paralyze them.  
  
"No.. no, no nono _no_ let me go let me _gooo.._ " Toriel was absolutely certain something traumatic must have happened in order for you to experience this. This wasn't like the other children that had fallen-yes; they had been scared-but they were scared of the monsters themselves. Not.. her hugs..  
  
She noticed the human tiring. They lightly swatted their hands against her arms; trying in what seemed the last of their strength to get her to let go. Yet.. they had still yet caused her the loss of even one hp. They didn't want to hurt her.. not truly. Which had to mean they weren't used to physical contact. This, in turn, must mean that if the human truly did have a traumatic event of some sort happen in their life.. it was because of someone physically hurting them.  
  
That's her theory anyways.  
Toriel is many things; but she isn't stupid.  
  
It didn't take even fifteen minutes for the human to tire out.  
  
Toriel notices tears gathering in their eyes, and she felt horrible for pushing this on them. She just didn't know how else she could help, and she feared that if she allowed them to leave..  
She felt them try and push away from her once more.  
  
"..." They shove against her with even less force than before, easily their weakest attack yet. That turned out to be their last possible push they could force out. The poor human looked even smaller than ever, so exhausted and so.. empty. They went limp, which allowed Toriel to focus on what she should do now. She couldn't just leave them.. Toriel doesn't know how to respond, but she isn't about to let go either.  
  
"Please.. let me go. Pl-Please.." They sniffle, and she could tell by the way they wiped their nose on their sleeve that they were trying not to snot on her fur. They were just acting like a small child.  
Not having any better ideas (and feeling the motherly instincts to act right away), she picks them up bridal style. As she carries them towards her home, she finds that they were relaxing even more into her hold. They must find her fur comfortable; as most monsters did-er, used to..  
  
"..."  
  
There's an uncomfortable silence that Toriel is not blind to. She is is wondering about their past.. if it is anything like her late child's; then she could not save them from themselves. It only took a moment.. and it is something that weighs heavy in her mind as she carries them through the ruins.  
  
Toriel starts to speak after awhile of walking in silence; only to notice that the human was nearly asleep in her arms. Nonetheless, she found she couldn't stop herself from telling them about the ruins. It was like a coping mechanism; a distraction from the possibly very real problem they might have.  
  
Toriel tells them of this place; her story. Of their child, who had fallen from the surface world. Of course, her Asriel had been enough to make her happy; and then Chara had made him so happy.. She takes a deep breath and moves on; telling them of how her husband has now waged war on all humans. Of how dangerous it was in the rest of the Underground.. and how she gets the feeling that they won't stay. Not with someone who would want to take care of them.  
They cringe, and she notices.  
  
"My child, you are welcome to stay.. I would not harm you, I promise you this."  
  
"I know you wouldn't. But.. that's not what I'm looking for." She lowers her head.  
  
"I understand. Then I will heal you, and let you pass. I.. cannot stop someone who wants to find a way to.." They smile at her softly.  
"It's.. not all it's cracked up to be. Alone. Always wondering who you're bothering now.. Heh. I'm surprised you're not annoyed yet. I'm trying to do us both a favor and keep you from hating me." Toriel suddenly stops and looks at them with a horrified expression.  
  
"My child; I would never-!"  
  
"Stop. I've heard those lies before." They sigh.  
  
"I'll make a deal with you. I'll stay around until you get tired of me.. Or I feel.." They shuddered. She wondered what they are thinking right at that moment.  
  
"I don't want to say trapped. Maybe.. like I don't want to hold you back anymore. Is that.. Is that okay..?" They look down.  
  
"My child, I feel that you would be a small blessing to brighten up the home. I truly would appreciate the sound of small pitter-patter running across the floor. Not to mention, helping finding snails in my favorite snail patch, and we could read together!" Her excitement is starting to get the better of her.  
  
" **Ahem** That.. that is.. if you would want to." Toriel wonders if she has bored them with all her menial enjoyment in life. What if they didn't enjoy her activities?  
  
_'Then I'm sure we can find something they would-'_  
  
"I'm sorry.. I, uh, kinda got distracted and.." She just laughs softly, and there is a red color dusted across the human's face.  
  
"It is alright my child. I was just saying I would enjoy the company."  
  
They relaxed immensely in her hold. If she was being honest, Toriel hadn't even noticed them starting to become stressed. Nonetheless, they seem comfortable now, so she hums softly and nuzzles into their neck. The human let out a soft squeak and flinched. Not wanting to drop them, she reflexively held them against her.  
  
"Oh! My child, did I hurt you?" The concern in her voice is thick, and she paused her trip back home to look down at them.  
  
"N-No, I'm fine, really. I'm just.. k-kinda.. sensitive.." She can see the red creeping up their neck and covering half of their face. Toriel just lets out a few huffs of laughter, doing her best not to offend them.  
  
"Alright my child, I am sorry. I will try and restrain myself." She gives them her most genuine smile, and they smile back timidly.  
  
"Toriel," so softly they had spoken, she knew that if she been lost in thought she would have missed it. She looked down at them expectantly.  
  
"Yes, my child?" Noticing them frown, Toriel still has no intention whatsoever to stop calling them 'my child;' it just fit them. She couldn't explain it exactly, it just did. Then she noticed something that seemed to be occurring more and more frequently.. they were spacing out again. Toriel would have to see about helping break their habit. She stopped once again, trying to get them to focus once more.  
  
"My child?" She notices them suddenly snapping out of whatever train of thought they had been so deeply involved in to look around. That's it; she couldn't leave them to their own devices. She looks forwards and starts walking again at a quickened pace.  
As she sets back off down the path, she passes the tree where her children used to play so many different games, and approaching her house.  
  
"I think it would be best if you took a warm bath while I cook dinner. Then you can eat, and get some rest." They are visibly shaken.. perhaps she had startled them by walking a bit too quickly?  
  
"Is this your house..?" Toriel laughs softly, shoulders shaking gently from the action.  
  
"Yes, wouldn't it be strange if I were _house hopping?_ "  
  
"What."  
  
"What does a Froggit say when cleaning their windows?"  
  
"Uh.. I don't know?"  
  
" _Rub it. Rub it. Rub it._ " Toriel mimics a Froggit while nuzzling their nose with her own, she doesn't notice a nearby Froggit giving her a strange look as it passes on the path behind her.  
  
"Oh no.."  
  
"Do you know what the quilt said to the bed?" She was practically vibrating with excitement.  
  
"Stop"  
  
"I've got you _covered!_ "  
  
"Put me the FUCK down." Language was definitely a thing they would have to work on.  
  
"What kind of monster can jump higher than a house?" The human had a puzzled, yet slightly interested look on their face.  
  
"..what kind?"  
  
" _Any kind!_ A house can't jump!"  
  
"AUUGH!" Toriel snickers as they flop backwards (as much as they can, with how small they are in her arms) dramatically. She would have to go easy on them with her jokes; apparently they didn't like them as much as the stranger. Deciding to set them down in the entryway, she shut the front door; going to her room to fetch a shirt of hers. If they are truly the age they said they were; then they won't fit..  
Pulling out one of her older, smaller ones, she comes back out and guides them to the bathroom; handing them the clothing.  
  
"I apologize for the shirt; it would seem you are a little too big to fit the.. other clothing I have." She deflated a bit before her warm smile came right back. Toriel gives them a pat on the on the top of their head before she adds,  
  
"Have a nice bath." With that, she closes the door and heads towards the kitchen; preparing to make her child some nice warm cinnamon-butterscotch pie for when they got out of the bath.  
  
  
************************************  
  
  
As she is finishing mixing the pie filling, slowly pouring into the pie and covering it with its top, Toriel decides to check on them. She heads down the hall and knocks on the bathroom door.  
  
She doesn't hear a reply, so she takes that as a go ahead; also because she's partially worried for their safety.  
  
As Toriel is opening the door, they screech out,  
  
"FUCK, WAIT! I'm nOT DECENT!!" Through the marginally cracked open door; she hears them scramble around and fumble with some sort of  cloth. As Toriel hears you get back into the tub, she knocks again.  
  
"I-It's fine.." Toriel comes in and notices all the bubbles surrounding them; their back to her and arms in front of their chest. They remind her of a tsunderplane she used to know.  
  
"I'm just here for your clothes, my child." She gathers them quickly and stands, pausing briefly when she catches a glimpse of your phone, but decides to let it be, opening the door and closing it with a soft click.  
  
Making her way to the laundry room; she deposited their clothes in a basket that needed to be washed as she left and went back to tend to the pie-washing her hands first, of course.  
  
  
************************************  
  
  
The pie is finished; it has been cooling for the past hour and a half or so. In that time; Toriel had washed and hung the dirty laundry and put new sheets on their child's bed (it was a bit dusty in there), washed those, vacuumed, and dusted the shelves. After that, she figured you were ready. She wasn't sure why they haven't left the bathroom yet, though.  
Toriel decided to call to them. They peek their head out the door.  
  
"Yeah Tori??" She stopped and looked at them, briefly wondering if they had been visiting with the stranger behind the door. Deciding that they couldn't have been-their hair was still wet (not to mention she would have noticed them with all her running back and forth).  
  
"Er, sorry, I hope my nickname didn't offend y-" She snorts.  
  
"Oh goodness, my child, no. You just reminded me of.. a friend." She notices them wriggling their eyebrows at her.  
  
"OOOoooh, a BOY friend??" Toriel starts laughing even harder, trying and failing several times to say something.  
  
"M-My ch-child, who raised you..?" Her wild giggles were making it difficult for her to speak. Their smile was slightly more strained than it was before she had started laughing. She hopes she didn't offend them.  
  
"S-So, uh, you don't mind me calling you T-Tori..?"  
  
"You may call me that if that is what makes you happy, my child."  
  
"I'll be out soon, Tori." Her child slips back into the bathroom, so Toriel decides to get the pie ready. Taking out two plates, she takes a knife and cuts it from the center to the edge with many years of practiced ease. Taking out two pieces of equal size, she places on on each plate and decides to let them cool a little longer; since they were still steaming from the inside. They would be perfect to eat in just a bit. Hearing soft footfall in the entryway, Toriel pokes her head out.  
  
_'Why do they still have their towel?'_  
  
As she goes is sitting down, they sighed. Toriel perks her ears, turning her head to face them.  
  
"Oh! My child, you could have left that towel in the bathroom."  
  
"Oh, uh, sorry.."  
  
"Do not fret, just go put it on the hanger." They nodded, doing as they were told before coming back and sitting down.  
In that time, Toriel had went to fetch their pie and place their slice in front of them; then turning back to her own.  
  
"Uh.. n-not that I'm complaining.. but is this the whole dinner?" Toriel turns once again, with some surprise.  
  
"Do you not like pie? I can make you something else, if you prefer."  
  
"N-No! That's not it! Humans just.. don't usually eat just desert.."  
  
"You shouldn't have a problem with monster food; it's not quite the same as human food." She winked at them as they became rather flustered.  
  
"Um??" Toriel thought it best that they understand monsters and their magic, so she began explaining the basics. Mainly the differences of human food and monster food over dinner. Every so often she had to prompt them to take a bite of their pie, so that it didn't get too cold.  
  
"So basically; I'm eating magic. Right now." She chuckled.  
  
"Yes and no. It's not free-flowing like our magic." Creating a ball of fire in her palm, Toriel watched them look upon her magic; their face lighting up with awe.  
  
"It's more like concentrated magic. Like..  the juice of the fruit is our magic. The fruit itself, is the food."  
  
"That's a good analogy; but how do you know what fruit is?" She deflated at that. It had been a.. while since she had to think about her memories on the surface as a young soul. She steeled herself and begun.  
  
"When I was very young, I had been on the surface. I can only barely remember.. I had tried fruit, even though Gerson warned me not to. My body did not react well with human food," she laughed lightly.. but she could feel tears were pricking at the corners of her eyes.  
  
"Ah. That is enough for tonight, my child. Go brush your teeth, and get ready for bed."  
  
"I don't have a toothbrush."  
  
"There is one waiting for you in the bathroom."  
  
"How do you find all of these things??"  
  
"Well, I receive them from the city not far from here. As for how the city acquired them, I do not know."  
  
"Ah." As they stand, they reach for their plate. Toriel will have none of this-though she appreciates the gesture. On their first night she wants them to be comfortable in their new environment first; then they could talk about responsibility. Thusly, she takes their plate and puts it on top of her own.  
  
"Teeth. Bed." Patting their head, she walks into the kitchen with the dishes.  
  
She can hear them go towards the bathroom. She finishes the dishes as they brush; letting them dry in the rack for the night she dries her hands and heads towards the bathroom. As she approaches, she can hear them finishing. They leave the bathroom so quickly, that they nearly collide with her in the hallway.  
  
"Ah, good. You must be ready for bed then." She lead them to her late children's room and opens the door. The human looks contemplative.  
  
"Do not be afraid to ask for me; I will be right next door." Smiling fondly at them, Toriel rubs their head and then gently shuts the door, leaving them to rest.  
  
As she treads back to her room, she ponders the day. If she had the option to repeat the actions to have the choice of changing something..  
  
Crawling into bed and pulling her blankets over her, she would change nothing.  
  
  
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>  
  
  
Toriel snaps back to reality in a brutal sort of way. She had slid from where she had been leaning against the wall. While in her limbo from her exaustion, she had started slipping and fell to the ground. Her nose was a bit bruised, but-no; she had a bloody nose. She sighed, looking for you once more and holding her nose shut. Once more she passed by the bake sale for spiders.  
  
  
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/  
  
**Napstablook's POV**  
  
  
Napstablook was sitting by you still when you had woken up again.  
  
They watched as you slowly sat up, only glancing at them before looking around.  
  
"Uh.. are you okay now..?"  
  
You snorted, but didn't answer them right away.  
  
They were getting anxious; maybe you didn't want to talk.. what if they were just bothering-  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"M..me? Well.. others usually call me Napstablook.. but Mettaton would call me Blooky.. but you can call me Napsta too.. sorry I'm talking too much.. I'll just go.."  
  
"No, wait! Please don't go!" You didn't want them to leave..?  
  
"You're actually pretty cool, Napstablook. I like your headphones; are you a music fan?" You.. you were interested in their taste in music..?  
  
"Yeah.. I make my own music.. but it's not very good.."  
  
"What? There's no such thing as bad music. Coming from one music lover to another; I would love to hear some of your works." They blushed. You wanted to hear their music..  
  
"I live in Waterfall.. if you want to visit sometime.. I could show you, I guess.."  
  
"Cool, sounds like a plan, Napsta." You were smiling at them. They blushed worse and were about to disappear when another figure can rushing towards them.  
  
"My child!"  
  
Napstablook watched as you were picked up by the newest figure; a female monster that looked like their old queen..  
  
"Thank you for keeping my child safe. It means much more to me than you can imagine.. if you ever need anything, you can find me."  
  
"Oh.. okay.." This was too much pressure for them. They had to go.  
  
  
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/  
  
**Reader's POV**  
  
  
They disappeared.  
What??  
  
_'I mean he is a ghost monster, I guess that would make sense,'_  
  
"My child, why would you-" You shoved her away. The only reason you were able to get away from her unusually weak grip is because you were running on anger and got to have a nap while Tori had no rest (minus her light doze, which ended up hurting her about as much as it helped). Not to mention she was still exhausted; while you were merely a bit sore.  
  
Once you got distance from her; you noticed her bloody nose and torn, frayed and filthy dress. Your anger simmered down a little, but you were still pretty mad.  
  
"No. The better question is why did you lie to me."  
  
"W..What..?"  
  
"The basement, Toriel! You said that shit was dangerous; and now I find out that _that_ is where you've been going?? You missed our cooking lesson! You were going to show me the latest stupid snail patch you found! And you were in the fucking _basement_?!"  
  
Toriel looked like she had been stabbed; eyes wide with disbelief and betrayal. You were being a dick; you knew, and you only felt worse as she fell to her knees and started sobbing. She hadn't denied a single thing you had said.  
You sighed in defeat; you could just never win..  
  
Walking over to her prone position, you hug her.  
  
_'How could you hurt her..? She just wanted to try and help you become independent.. you were being a terrible person again. She had given you food, a home, her love. The last one alone was more than you've ever had. And this is how you treat her..?'_ Sighing, you tighten your hold on her, subconsciously trying to bring her closer.  
  
_'I wish I could take it all away..'_ You were surprisingly calm for this thought. Usually you had your inner turmoil fighting for control of your mind.. and everything was so peaceful right now..  
  
"M..My.. child..?" Looking up, you see her covered in green.  
Remembering your last (and admittedly only) experience with healing magic; you leapt back.  
  
"I'm not hurt!!"  
  
"No, no my child.. you were.. You can wield magic..?"  
  
"Um, no?? I'm just.. a human."  
  
"My child, monsters cannot heal themselves. Look down," she nodded towards your chest.  
  
Looking down, you seen the last remnants of green magic hovering above your soul. It was rapidly dispersing off of your arms and chest now as you scooted even further away from her.  
  
"How did that even- Where is it going? Why can I-?"  
  
"My child.. you are right. I have been neglecting you. I think it is time you left the ruins. But first, to answer your questions," she sighed; she looked pained to do this; but at least her nose is healed.  
  
..was it healed?  
  
"Your nose is healed, right?" Toriel looks surprised for a moment, before shaking her head with a saddened smile.  
  
"I forget you don't know about magic. The magic you can wield is green. Your soul contains three colors. Being multi-colored among humans and monsters is not uncommon; however, your colors do not blend like most humans might. They stand out firmly as the three traits you follow equally, even if not fully conscious of the actions required for a certain trait."  
  
"What do you-" She held up a paw, effectively interrupting you, then continued.  
  
"Your soul contains yellow, which stands for justice. Purple, which stands for perservance; and lastly green, which seems to be your most dominate trait. Green, is kindness, and healing magic is linked to the trait kindness. Healing magic is a extremely rare magic to be blessed with. Only about thirty percent of monsters can use healing magic; as it was lost in the war a long time ago." She closed her eyes, filled with grief at the thought of how many souls were lost in the war. Then she takes a calming breath, and begins again.  
  
"As for me, yes, my nose is fine; thank you. Your healing magic disperses back into your energy flow; or the nearest entity able to contain magic. Essentially it would end up back in your soul. You probably didn't intend to; but when using healing magic you must be careful how much contact you have with your patient. The more physical contact you have; the more healing magic you're going to use. So, hugging your patient can use much more healing magic than a simple hand near their foot. No, you don't have to be touching them. Yes, it does take energy from you to give to them. However; if it takes twenty-five percent of your energy, your patient will get fifty percent. Healing magic benefits both parties, as it is part of a monster soul base; which includes love, mercy and compassion."  
  
As you sit there absorbing all of this, Toriel stands, brushing herself off and offering a hand.. and a bitter-sweet smile.  
  
"Are you ready to see the rest of the Underground..?"  
  
  
************************************  
  
  
Standing in front of the door, you look back at Toriel nervously. You had your own clothes, because you told her that was what you were comfortable with. She had made pie, and you had taken a bath and got your razor, putting it in your back pocket. You had your phone of course (not that it was any good to you off; but it was a human thing you guessed), and some pie Tori gave to you. She wasn't going with you.. she said she had to tend to the Ruins in case someone else fell down. So instead, she had hugged you for a long moment before she nudged you forward, and now you stood at a door to the rest of the Underground.  
  
You nodded back to her and smiled gently, then pushed forward.  
  
There was another door.  
  
You still push forward.  
  
Finally, after passing a patch of green in the middle of the hall and making it to the other side; you pass through the door-  
  
Another door.  
  
Last door.  
  
_'Third times the fucking charm, right?'_  
  
As you stomp over towards the door, mildly irritated at this point, you shove it open (it took a bit longer than you would like to admit), and see..  
  
..snow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***is open to the idea of soul designs involving the three colors of purple, green and yellow***


	5. Here We Go Again. (Remade)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy fuck. Sorry about the wait; apparently there's a certain order in which you have to code.
> 
> Now that I am satisfied with how it looks; here is one of the promised chapters.  
> Next chapter is much longer; it might have to wait until tomorrow because I'm sitting outside freezing my ass off so I can sap wifi from my work like a douchbag to bring you people this stupid chapter.

Snow.

That was the only thing you could see for.. well, as far as you could see.

 _‘I guess the trees are pretty cool,’_ humming to yourself, you look around and take in the fact that the door was several times taller than your own height. What kind of monsters could possibly be that tall..? Shrugging to yourself, you move along. Walking past the trees is the easy part. You could admire how the branches held the snow so perfectly; the pristine color radiating the soft light that seemingly emanated from somewhere near the top of the cave.. well, you were guessing it was still a cave. You couldn’t exactly see the top of the cavern.

You noticed a small snowbank near the trees; about six feet high. It’s small, because you were used to snow drifts eight feet tall (at least, when you were a kid). And those were the average ones. Meandering on over, you make a snowball and chuck it at a nearby tree just for the hell of it. It was too light and powdery to stay together very well, so half of it fell apart in the duration of it being tossed, then exploded with a satisfactory puff of white when it nailed the side of the tree. Upon seeing the current state the snow was in, you decide to kick the snow. It left a pleasant gouge in the snow from where your foot went sailing through it with little resistance; and the snow scattered everywhere. As it mixed with the snow that was already falling, it looked like a little rainbow had formed, even if only for a brief moment. A giddy feeling had passed through you as you watched it falling; beautifully sparkling in the false sunlight and creating uneven mounds upon the otherwise untouched snow. Starting to giggle, you quickly move on, excited to see what else there was to see. To explore.

 _‘Huh.. I wonder why my thoughts aren’t- heh, it probably has something to do with the snow. Second favorite weather.. rain is still better though. Always, always. I wonder if it rains down here too..?’_ Coming upon a deserted tree branch in the middle of the path; you decide to break a stick off of the main branch and use it as a sword. You would have used the entire branch, but.. it may or may not have been too much to carry with one hand. Nevertheless; you are very resourceful and take the second-best option: choosing a stick that was long, and lightweight, and generally had grown in a ‘straight’ line. After removing the various little twigs from your chosen branch; you find yourself suddenly feeling rather playful, and you swung out your stick-bearing arm. Throwing the other high above your head as though you were fencing someone; you strike your imaginary target. Left, right, right again you swung your sword. Duck! Left, forward jab. Taking a few steps back; you spun in a circle and pretend to fight many enemies at once, swinging here, ducking there. Oh no! There’s more! Spin, duck, kick just for the hell of it. Front jab, bring the hilt back and ram the person behind you in the gut. Yes! After a few minutes of twirling, jumping, and moving rather energetically, you stop mid-spin to regain your balance (admittedly the world was starting to spin and sway in a rather nauseous course). Pausing, you take a moment to admire your handiwork.

The snow was officially torn to bits; your footprints covered almost every inch of ground. Well, at least in a semi-circular area. More like an oval, if you looked at it just right. Tilting your head, you smile to yourself and toss the stick before anyone catches you making a fool of yourself.

As you continue down the path; you hear something snap behind you. Turning on your heels; you scan the area thoroughly. If you were being honest with yourself, you were a bit nervous. Paranormal things were things you usually laughed at, so at least you didn’t look like a baby-even if you felt like one. Looking around one last time, you see nothing. You force yourself forward just a few steps, to see what made the sound.

The branch. The same one you had broken off a piece for yourself. It had just.. broke.

 _‘How is that even possible..? There would need to be a great amount of force to break that branch; it’s so thick I’m not even sure my bodyweight could have broken it,’_ without further questioning, you race in the other direction.

 _‘Sure; run AWAY from the probably-predator that chases things that run away from it. Get yourself killed! ..of all the ways I wanted to die, getting mauled to death isn’t one of them.’_ As you keep running, you quickly feel your stamina start to leave you.

 _‘This is what I get for eating nothing but pie and not exercising,’_ glancing ahead; you spot a brown.. structure of some kind, you weren’t entirely sure yet. As you grew closer to the structure you felt yourself slowing down, and glancing behind you, you didn’t see anything that warranted you should still run. Unless trees and undergrowth are terrifying all of a sudden.

 _‘More like, terra-fying,’_ giggling to yourself, you turn around and notice that the structure happened to be a bridge. Question mark? Looking past the bridge, you notice an inky blackness that goes further down than you can see. Briefly, you ponder if there is a bottom to the small abyss. Going back to the bridge, you’re about to take your first step onto the wooden structure when you notice your leg isn’t even cooperating with you to lift in order to take the first step.

“Wh-”

**“H U M A N.”**

****

What.

**“Is that any way to greet a new pal..?”**

****

What the _hell._

**“T u r n a r o u n d a n d s h a k e m y h a n d ."**

****

Turning; you look behind you and come face-to-chin with a..

..skeleton?

“What the hell. Why are you- Where did you even- But why?” The skeleton looked startled; even taken aback. Well, if skeletons could look startled. Or taken aback. But this one manages it rather well; despite having no muscles, or skin, or tendons or ligaments or anything actually needed in order to make the actual facial expression.

“Uh..? Aren’t you.. you know, scared?” You raise an eyebrow.

“Of who? A short stuff like you?” He snorted.

“Buddy, I hate to break it to ya, but you’re actually smaller than me. But hey; being the nice guy I am, I won’t make fun of you for your _short-comings._ ” You freeze.

Fuck.

“You did not just.” He winks at you before shoving his hands in his pockets; finally deciding he’s given you enough time to shake his hand and gave up on the idea.

“What’s the matter, not a fan of puns? C’mon, we’ll get along great if you just give me a _little_ wiggle room.”

“I’m leaving.” Turning on your heel, you found your world doing another 180, back to facing the skele-dude.

“What.”

“Sorry to throw you for a _spin_ like that; but we aren’t quite done here.”

“StOP.” He chuckled and continued.

“As far as introductions go; the name’s Sans. I guess you’re a human, huh? That’s hilarious. I’m actually out here supposed to be on the lookout for a human, but.. well, I don’t really care all that much about actually catching one. My brother on the other hand; he’s a human hunting FANATIC.” Crossing your arms; you try to be patient enough for him to finish and not let your anger get the best of you. This is just an introduction, right?

“Speaking of, I think that’s him right there. C’mon; you can just go through this here gate-thingy. Yeah, my bro made the bars to wide to actually stop anyone.” All of a sudden Sans is pushing you through, touching you, and you snap, pushing him back.

“Don’t fucking touch me!” Sans pauses, taking a step back and putting his hands up in a placating manner. He’s regarding you with a look that said he thought you were crazy.

“Woah, okay, calm down. Not touching you, see?” Sans waved his hands near his head, showing you that they weren’t anywhere near you.

Huffing you try to walk past him.  
The thing is; that particular bridge isn’t meant for two people walking side by side.  
You slipped.

You were falling.

You got.. caught..?  
Sans currently had your upper arm in his grip, his eyelights missing from his sockets.

“Careful kid. That could have been a _grave_ mistake.” Grave, huh..? Smiling to yourself, you let Sans pull you back onto the path, still keeping himself in between you and the pathway leading to Toriel’s. You lean against the pillar; deciding to show him that you have no intention of making it easy for him to force you where he wants you to go. Sans let out a sigh.

“Kid, c’mon, just roll with it, alright? We’re not gonna hurt you.” You snorted.

“That’s hardly what I’m worried about.” The way Sans was regarding you.. well; he looked kinda suspicious. Fuck, monsters aren’t that clever, are they? Or are you just losing your touch?

“What do you mean, kid?”

“Well, you see, I’m quite skilled.” Sans smirked.

“Like with a sword?” You froze. Again.

“I-I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve never used a sword in my life.”

“That was kinda obvious, kiddo; you're not very _sharp._ ” Puffing out your cheeks, you glare at him and stand straight, hunching your shoulders and bringing your arms stock-stiff down to your sides; your fists slightly angled upwards. Yeah, people called you anime for this particular pose, but still.. it felt so natural.

Sans stared at you for a moment.  
Then he burst out laughing.

“Oh, god, you remind me of my bro,” wheezing (without lungs? Shouldn’t be possible), he slowly regains his composure, though he’s still smiling like a jackass. “That was pretty cute.”

“I am not cute. That isn’t a word to describe me. I am hardcore! I’m.. I’m into things like.. bloodlust! I kill puppies and drown kittens!” Sure that you were starting to turn red, you brought your fists in front of your chest to try and seem more convincing.

Sans regarded you with a dangerous, incredibly tense expression for a few moments, and you were starting to feel nervous. Then he shrugged.

“Nah. I’m calling your bluff.”

“What.”

“I’m calling your bluff.”

“I! I-I..!”

 _“Yeees..?”_ The way he was leaning oh-so-subtly towards you was not okay. His stupid shit-eating grin was not okay. Fuck this situation. You hated; _hated_ being called cute! It’s not.. you. You’re not..  
Sighing inwardly, you gather your slightly flustered nerves and flipped him off while you sorted your thoughts into actual words.

“Hey. Watch the non-verbal gestures; my bro hates that stuff-”

“Fuck you.”

“Excuse me?”

“Get out of my way.” Sans looked off to the side; waaaay off to the side.

“I think you’re being a little rude.” You finally seen it. This was your opportunity. You pushed him towards Toriel’s; and he stumbled back on the bridge.

“Hey!!” Regaining his balance; he put his hands in his pockets once more, and tilted his head down a bit so that a shadow covered most of his face. “If you think you can just shove me off-”

“Nah. I did that,” You take a step back. “So that I didn’t have to worry about you trying to save me,” another. “While I do this.” You jump. Right off the side of the bridge, into the depths.

 _“No!!”_ You hear him clearly. Suddenly, he’s on the bridge above where you jumped. Reaching out for you. How ..cute. Something’s wrong with his eye; but you’re falling away too fast to actually be able to see any details. Thankfully, you had managed to shove him hard enough to get enough distance from you before you jumped. Turning towards the impending darkness, you wonder if it’s deep enough of a gorge to kill you instantaneously; or if you’ll end up being broken and bloody, yet still somehow alive at the bottom. Maybe-

 

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

 

Waking up, you notice something familiar. Though.. you can’t really place why. You stare at the ceiling, and admire the small hole that shows only a glint of the bright, brilliant blue sky.

Then it hits you.

“What the _ACTUAL FUCK!?"_ Quickly, you’re sitting up and looking over yourself. Your arms, legs. Your scars are.. lesser?? Like some of them are miss—

No. 

No no no no _no._

_‘If.. If I died.. then.. how am I here..?’_ Glancing around your once-again environment, you notice that it is indeed the ruins. 

__

_‘Which means..’_

____

"Flowey."

____


	6. Hel(l)d Hostage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you guys go; I had to take a bit to improvise a part. For reasons.

Well, fuck. That didn’t work out so hot. But that’s a matter for another moment. Right now; you needed to start moving again.. and figure out why the hell you weren’t dead. There’s no way that eight months could possibly be a dream.

That, or it’s some badass Deja-vu.

Working on getting into a standing position, you trudge back towards where you know the demonic flower is waiting in the next room. Upon reaching the corner; you pause. This.. was real, wasn’t it? What if.. you were dreaming all of this? What if they had you in the hospital? If you fell; and went unconscious.. hell, you could have broken limbs and not even know it right now. Quickly pinching your arms, legs, and several other places, you’re still left feeling unsure.

 _‘I mean, if I’m unconscious, would my unconscious self even have an effect on my conscious body..?’_ Not even noticing that you had started leaning on the wall, you slowly slip further into your thoughts. Pulling out your blade and lifting your sleeves, you shove the tip into your skin; creating new crimson lines that beaded blood. 

_‘If none of this is real, that would explain why I can’t die.’_ Sorrow crept into your heart. The one thing, the one thing you wanted above all else, had been taken from you? What kind of cruel fate had been set before you? How long did you have to live? For what purpose?? You did nothing! Helped with nothing! Even your family- no. That was your fault. _You_ had disowned _them_ , remember? Avoiding any and all family events; including Christmas and Easter. Your family was.. not overly religious, but they didn’t go around spreading His word, either. As for you? Sure; you believed there was a higher being. You just didn’t know his name. Or her. Was that sexist? To just assume that all gods were male? Mentally shrugging, you returned your thoughts back to what might be happening. You’re not dead; but you very clearly remember jumping off a bridge. And Tori- was she ..not real too? It hurt to think of her as.. fake.. 

But why stop here? You kept cutting. Further. __

Further. 

____

_Deeper._

___  
Suddenly you realized you weren’t feeling the pain. Which; in itself wasn’t unusual. There were several times you could think of off the top of your head where the adrenaline kicked the pain until your mind hardly registered that it was there. The only problem with this particular situation was all the blood you had to keep wiping away in order for you to see your work. Your sleeves were wet and sticky with the substance; the new blood caking over the blood that was starting to congeal and dry. You realized sadly that you had opened the same vein (and subsequently the scar across it) you had kept safe from your blade only because it was a marker of a broken promise. The blood was coming out as a small, yet steady stream from your wrist._ _ _

_____ _

_‘Might as well match,’_ before you can push your final cut, you hear a small gasp. Looking over your shoulder in a listless effort, you absently notice Toriel.

_____ _

“M-My child?? Don’t worry, I will heal yo-” Your laugh cuts her off; which is mostly an out-of-place reaction, since you immediately felt horror upon noticing her presence. Deciding to be quick, you bring your blade down upon your other wrist. Small spatters of blood hit your face. You had cut very deeply into the skin, and you were sure that you sliced a few tendons. The gash was located on the soft skin right below your inner wrist; and _**holy fuck**_ did it _hurt!!_ You hissed in pain, then tried your best to relax, even as your mind was barbed with nothing but the throbbing sting. Deciding to glace at it, you notice blood freely flowing down both sides of your wrist. 

_____ _

_____ _

_‘Good pace..’_

____  
Then everything was a flash of green. Looking back down, you notice some green wisps of smoke encircling your wrists, engulfing your arms; being enough to stop the blood on your arms but not quite able to completely stem the flow at your wrists. You could hear murmuring, but you just couldn’t make it out. Tori..? Tori was talking to you. You think. You couldn’t exactly see her mouth moving. And her face looked funny; which for some reason you found endlessly amusing. Slowly, soft giggles started escaping you. You felt your body trembling from the gentle laughter emitting from you._ _ _ _

____As your laughter subsides, you feel darkness surround you, closing your eyes. You feel something trying to shake you; though you only barely felt your shoulders being touched. You felt so light.. so.. worry-free..…yeah..____

__

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**_**NVEU** _ **

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Waking up; you abruptly realize that you’re staring at the same view you’ve seen three times now. You don’t even bother trying to ponder this. You can’t die, what does it matter? What does any of it matter? You lay there for a while. It could have been hours; since the brilliant blue had faded into a peach colored sky. It’s not like you had anywhere to be.. but this was.. uneventful. Maybe you were _supposed_ to go forward..? Not to mention you had a killer headache that you didn’t have the last time you died. It was so massive and so.. not persistent; but maybe.. omnipresent..? It felt like the headache took over every part of your brain. It was making it difficult to think clearly. 

____

_‘Napstablook..!’_

_'Wait.. when did I.. I don't remember how-'_

**_No. Just kept walking. Nothing matters anyways, right?_**

___“Oh.. Are you.. okay..?”_ _ _

_‘Keep walking.’_ Turning the corner, you didn’t hear his goodbye, and you kept turning corners. Straight on the path. A dead end; lots of spiders and what looks like a creepy abandoned post. You knew the spider bake sale was actually pretty decent, however. The baked goods you shared with Tori..did she remember you? They seemed to. You just.. couldn’t deal with them. But where else could you go? You knew the only way out was through her home. Deciding to head in, you push the door open fully and look around. There was a sound of.. crying? It was emanating from down the hall, and you knew that wasn’t where you wanted to be, less you be caught. Quickly glancing to your left; you notice her living chair. Her dining table. A sliver of something large and silver in the room past the adjacent one. Must be the refrigerator. Mentally shrugging off the sting of memories and melancholy, you continue on your way in the only path available to you. Heading down the stairs, you try to be quiet as you just keep walking; taking a swift yet silent left and continuing onwards. The door. There’s three, right? Pushing past the first one, it creaks open and you see the second door, mentally confirm your thoughts when your body freezes at the sound of rapid footsteps behind you; coming down the stairs. “Hello? Is there someone there..?” You didn’t wait. You couldn’t go through that again; no matter how much you longed to turn around and take her attention and comforting embrace. Instead, you bolt. You haul ass to the next door, trying desperately to open the heavy wood while the footsteps echo louder off the walls. “Oh! Little one, wait! It’s dangerous here!” 

____

____

_‘MovemoveMOVE!’_

___  
The door opened enough for you to squeeze through; and you sprinted for the last one, hearing the second door groan open behind you as you just started to take off._ _ _

___“My child, please! I won’t hurt you, I swear! Don’t go; you’ll be killed!!” You kept moving; not even remotely slowing your pace. Throwing all of your body weight into it, you shove at the door and manage to gain a few inches of access off the bat.  
The footsteps are louder._ _ _

_____ _

She’s _right behind you._

______ _ _

You keep pressing, fiercer into the door. Your right shoulder would have a nasty bruise later; you were sure. Tori would know about your scars; and you didn’t feel like having her try and take away your blade and _youneededtogetout-_

_____  
The door finally gave way and you stumbled through; landing on your hands and knees in the freezing snow. As you’re bracing yourself to be picked up, you realize nothing is happening. Slowly, you turn your head and you notice something rather.. strange._ _ _ _ _

_____Toriel is standing stiffly just inside the door. Plenty of room for her to leave the entrance of the ruins; but she.. didn’t. She had her hand reaching out for you, but you were just out of her reach. You just looked up at her over your shoulder._ _ _ _ _

_____“If this is your choice.. So be it.” Her tone suddenly became tight, tears forming in her eyes as she brought her hands in front of her in a stiff, formal gesture._ _ _ _ _

_____“I tried to give you warning, child.” With that she turned, and the door slowly closed behind her. For a few moments you held your breath. That was so different than the first.. there would be no pie, or snail hunting, and she wouldn’t hold you and-wait. Something was wrong; wasn’t there someone here-_ _ _ _ _

_______ _ _ _

_‘FUCK!!’_

______  
There’s no time to reminisce; you scrambled to stand and hauled ass again. As you move further and further away from the now-blocked off ruins, you keep trying to move your legs faster in the now-traitorous snow. It seemed that it was doing its best to slow you down. How can something so enchanting be so annoying? Looking up, you had to swiftly leap over the branch you had previously played with; having no time to go around it. You were actually mildly impressed with your speed; all things considered. You were going fast enough that if you tried to stop suddenly you’d go head-over-heels._ _ _ _ _ _

______A familiar brown structure was quickly approaching you, and you only picked up your speed; despite your legs screaming in pain for a break. You almost didn’t notice the figure suddenly appearing in front of you. Fucking of course. Sans just _had_ to be here. Deciding that the best course of action was to barrel into him; you knocked your uninjured shoulder into his chest and tried to force your way past._ _ _ _ _ _

______What you _weren’t_ expecting, was for him to wrap his arms around you and take you down with him._ _ _ _ _ _

______You both went down hard; if it weren’t for the thick layer of snow you might’ve gotten hurt. Trying desperately to get up and pry him off; he struggled just as hard to hang onto you._ _ _ _ _ _

“Get.. _off!!_ ” Shoving at his face; you noticed he had that creepy, no-eyelight thing going on again. Sans said nothing. His ever-present grin was turned down into a cross between a grimace and a frown. As you both brawl in the snow for a few minutes; you realize his strength was slowly overpowering your own. You almost slipped away from him multiple times, but he always managed to find a new grip on you. Finally, you twist your arm and jerk it out of his grasp. 

______Spotting an opportunity; you jump away from him and turn to run. Sans, however, was getting rather irate with this fight. You didn’t see him lunging, tackling you towards the ground. You struggle to breath from the sudden face full of snow. Pushing down on your scapula, Sans had tried to pin you down only for you to flip over. He held onto you until he had managed to maneuver back on top of you; slowly wrangling your arms down until he gripped your wrists even tighter; being the only purchase he had on your body since your shoulder had gave him the slip. The second you let out a cry of pain, you had felt the pressure lessen; though he still kept an iron grip._ _ _ _ _ _

________ _ _ _ _

_‘How much strength..’_

_______  
It became apparent that he was holding back. Like, _really_ holding back.. he must not want to hurt you. Deciding that you don’t want to think about this, your struggling increased and you jerked backwards as hard as you could. The snow, deciding to be convenient, let the heel of your shoe slip, and you went down a low slope head-long; Sans himself toppling over you. After you both tumble down the shallow hill, you end up landing flat on your back. You said goodbye to the air in your lungs; and again when Sans landed on top of you. He sat up after a moment, using his body to keep you pinned while you tried to shove him off and find purchase in the snow. Too preoccupied to be worried about the scenario, you struggled underneath the lighter, if not slightly larger form. Your arms were sore, your shoulder felt like it was on fire and your legs were killing you; but if you gave up you knew you wouldn’t like what happened. Despite not knowing _what_ was going to happen; you knew you wouldn’t like it._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______With a horrifying discovery; you felt true fear jolt through your body as Sans was slowly gaining the upper hand and pinning you to the ground. Struggling was so much work now; and the second you let up he had you. You found your arms pinned to either side of your head in the snow; Sans sitting slightly above your hips, but not quite on your stomach._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______“So,” he panted, “I think we need introductions, huh?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______You tried to knee him in the back; but couldn’t get your thigh far enough for your knee to connect; Sans’ posture just barely being enough to block you._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______“Fuck you, Sans. Let me go; fucking creep.” His eyelights returned; and a creepy grin replaced his usual one._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“So, you remember, huh? Must mean that you’re the cause, you know. Since time reset once you _jumped off the bridge."_

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_‘The cause? The cause of WHAT??’_

_________  
“What does it matter to you? It’s not like I can actually fucking die! What, you gonna kill me?” He shook his head angrily, fed up with your attitude, but you weren’t done._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________“No, please. Try it. Can’t kill myself, now can I,” was your ill-thought out, snarky response._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_‘You fucking IDIOT!! Why, of all things, would you tell him that?! Now he’s gonna try and save you and all that stupid shit!!’_

__________  
Sans’ expression changed from anger to minute horror. You knew it wasn’t new information to him; but you couldn’t identify the other expression he carried. It looked like pity, but-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“What the hell, kid..” He sounded so defeated; so.. remorseful._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“C’mon. This isn’t the place to be having this conversation.” He stood, pulling you up roughly by your upper arm and tugging you into a hug. You instantly pulled away upon contact; but he had already wrapped his arms around you. Growling, you rest your head on his shoulder (because you’re tired, of course), though you make no move to hug him back. If he thinks you’re going to go anywhere with him, then-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Vertigo. Really; _really_ bad vertigo. 

__________You bury you face into his neck and suddenly grip onto his jacket; trying to calm your insides as you grit your teeth in pain. As the waves of displeasure fade out of your body, you realize he’s rubbing your back. You shove him away from yourself; and he lets go easily. Too easily-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Where the fuck?  
Where were you??_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________The scenery had changed drastically. The snowy trees had been replaced with four walls; the undergrowth with a terribly obscene purple and blue carpet, and the cold wind with a warm and welcoming atmosphere; despite the look of caution on Sans’ face._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Where are we?” Not even waiting for him to respond, you slowly back yourself towards the room behind you. You dare not take your eyes off of Sans; though he’s making no move to remove himself from the path between you and the door. As you slink through the doorway of the next room, you wonder if maybe you can find something to throw at him in the next-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“OH! A HUMAN!” Shrieking, you spin around so quickly you have another wave of vertigo pass through you; and you stumble slightly. Feeling a slight pressure on your shoulder, it ignites into a flash of white hot pain that rips through the right side of your chest and you finally lose your cool._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________“DO NOT FUCKING TOUCH ME!!”_ Violently, you lurch away from their touch and end up sprawled across the tiled floor. Glaring up at the newcomer; you notice a ridiculously tall skeleton. His face looks like he’s in absolute shock; though it’s quickly forming to concern._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Sans, are they alright..?” Wow. His volume went down really fast. Was this normal? It didn’t feel.. right. the new guy turned to look at Sans, wringing his gloves together in distress. Sans had approached the doorway and was currently leaning against the one further away from your spot on the floor; keeping an eyesocket on you. The taller skeleton was reaching down to pick you up, but you scooted further away from him; until your back to the wall. Upon seeing your reaction, he backed up to his original spot with a reproachful look across his face (though it seemed to be directed towards himself). Straightening up again, he glanced at his brother quickly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Nah, bro. They need a little.. help. And who better to help than us?” His brother, apparently, suddenly stood to his full height and let out a shrill laugh._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“NYEH-HEH! YOU ARE CORRECT, BROTHER. HUMAN! INITIALLY, I HAD INTENDED TO CAPTURE YOU; BUT I HAVE COME ACROSS SOME RATHER.. DISTRESSING INFORMATION. SO I, THE GRRREAT PAPYRUS, WILL HELP YOU BACK TO FULL HEALTH BEFORE I CAPTURE YOU! I HAVE STANDARDS, YOU KNOW. I MUST MAKE SURE THERE IS A FAIR FIGHT-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Why?” Papyrus paused._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, HUMAN?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Why make it fair? There’s no point. It’s actually kinda comical that you put up such a front. Tell me, where do you hide your pain? Your hurt? There’s no way in hell you’re actually this happy all the time.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“WHILE I DO NOT APPRECIATE YOUR LANGUAGE; I MUST TO ADMIT THAT EVEN THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAS SOME.. OFF.. DAYS.” He looked down and clasped his gloved hands together for a moment; his expression turning regretful and almost.. sad._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Don’t worry about her, bro. She’s just being a jerk right now because she’s hurtin’ real bad.” Instantly, you felt anger boil your blood as you turned to glare at the short skeleton; who seemed unfazed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“First of all; _fuck_ you, Sans. Secondly? You don’t know a _damn_ thing about me. How can you possibly know how this.. how I feel?? It’s impossible.” The rage emanating from you was probably quite palpable; but you couldn’t bring yourself to care at the moment. You were a bit preoccupied with another thought: you really, really hope they didn’t notice your slipup.  
Fate was not looking upon you, it seemed. 

__________“How what feels, human..?” Papyrus had kept his distance, but now he slowly knelt on the floor so the he was almost eye-to-eye with you._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Yeah, do tell.” Glancing back at Sans; he had a skeptical look across his face._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_‘How dare he doubt me? That fucker. What does he know..’_

___________  
Curling up into yourself, you ignore them both. What else could you do? They had basically kidnapped you. Well, that wasn’t true. Sans had kidnapped you and.. teleported.. you here. How could you escape that?? That fucking jerk. Even his brother-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

..his _brother._

___________________  
You could hear them murmuring to each other in the next room. You hadn’t been lost to your thoughts for that long, had you?  
Well. Time to test it out your hypothesis. His name was Papyrus, right?_ _ _ _ _

____________“P.. Papyrus..” Practically breathing out his name, you hoped you didn’t say it wrong. Although you hardly expected him to walk so swiftly into the kitchen after you just said it; still keeping his distance, thankfully. Papyrus knelt down again, and peered over at you._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Yes, human?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I.. I want to leave. I mean, kidnapping isn’t exactly legal, now is it?” Whispering, you knew you didn’t need to. You had the strong feeling that Sans could hear you perfectly fine._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Papyrus, however.._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Papyrus looked like he was being torn. His face going through several expressions-you were pretty sure he had managed to go through all five stages of grief at one point. He sighed, settling on a defeated expression while he wrung his hands together awkwardly; glancing to the side._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Human, I am.. sorry, we.. we just.. we cannot allow you leave; for your own safety.” No. He knew?? How _dare_ Sans tell him about business that wasn’t his to share?! Quickly you stand and furiously make your way around Papyrus; who looked startled and started to stand as well. Making your way directly towards Sans, who had shifted to block your path to the door again and taking on a tense stance; you jab a finger into his sternum. 

___________“How fucking dare you.” Sans’ grin only became more strained; but his voice stayed even as he stared you down._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________“Don’t know what you’re talking about, kiddo.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________“Bullshit! You know exactly what I’m talking about!! You told your fucking brother-” What was that noise? And what an interesting floor. How did you get there?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________“SANS!!” You can hear Papyrus rushing over to you; and it doesn’t register what the fuck happened until you notice Sans putting his arm back into his jacket and a stinging pain on your cheek._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Sans had struck you so hard, you had ended up on the floor._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Feeling the familiar sting of tears, you press them back as you push Papyrus away; forcing yourself to stand again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________“You decided to hit me.. to protect the name of your fucking bro-” A sharp sound. Carpet.  
Huh.._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“SANS! THAT’S _ENOUGH!”_

____________  
“Heh.. heh heh..”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Human? Are you alright..?” Feeling the stares from both of the skeletons, you started laughing-full out laughing; hysterically. The brothers looked between each other and back to you; both carrying a similar look of confusion and concern. Finally looking up, shoulders shaking from your residual giggles; you feel blood dripping down your chin. You look directly up at Sans. With mild pleasure you notice him stiffen. You hope it’s fear._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Well thank you Sans.. for putting me in my place.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Uh..” Sans looked away awkwardly before resuming eye contact, “No problem, kid..”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“No, really. It helps me.. see my _place.”_ His eyesockets went dark; and if you thought he was stiff before; now he looked like a wooden plank. Absentmindedly, you noticed his hands moving around in his pockets; probably turning into fists. 

____________“Human, what is your place?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Nothing you want to hear, cinnamon roll.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“What?” You froze. Inwardly; you were laughing that you used a meme.. and his confused tone didn’t help any. Outwardly; you were horrified that you called someone you barely knew a cinnamon roll._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“N-Nothing..”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“This is what I was talking about, Paps. They have a soft side.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Just like you, brother!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Ah, y-yea, bro..” A soft shuffling was heard; and you figured Sans was embarrassed. An evil plan bursts into your mind._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I hate to break it to ya, kid, but I’m not a good person.” Looking up, you see that Sans is staring at you with a look of mild displeasure for mimicking his earlier words._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Human! Everyone can be good if they just try! No matter what you’ve done; you can always do better!” Cringing, you wanted to cry. You wished you could protect his sense of.. hope. His happiness. In the back of your mind, you regret insulting him, even if indirectly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Sorry, Papyrus..”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“It’s okay, human! Would you like to help me finish the spaghetti?!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“What.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I put my spaghetti on the back burner; but now I see it can be used as a bonding moment! Come; I can show you my amazing cooking skills!” And with that; he sprint/walked into the kitchen-which, how that was possible was a mystery to you. Turning to Sans, you eyed him warily. He only nodded towards the kitchen, not moving other than that._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Go on, kid. He’s waiting for you. Don’t want to disappoint him, do you?” His eye flashed blue, and you felt immediate danger, but it disappeared as briefly after it had formed. Still, you didn’t feel that you could bring yourself to care._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You know, you can hurt me all you want,” standing, you wipe your chin on your sleeve, “Pain _is_ one of my best friends.” With that, you turn and head towards the kitchen, trying not to blush too much. 

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_‘‘Pain is one of my best friends?’ What the hell?! What are you; an angsty teenager?! Stupid idiot..’_

_____________  
Upon entering the kitchen, you were really glad the spaghetti was already half done. The ‘cooking lesson’ had only lasted what felt like fifteen minutes; but it was probably more like forty-five. The kitchen was a disaster, the spaghetti somehow overcooked and still stiff enough to be undercooked. Looking up though, you didn’t regret your choice. Papyrus looked so happy. He was so pleased with himself; showing you how to ‘properly’ cook the Italian dish. Seeing him smile like that.. geez, you didn’t want to; you _really_ didn’t; but you just couldn’t help yourself. You felt yourself break down a little, smiling back at him gently._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________Suddenly, you find a gloved, skeletal finger in your face._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“AHA! I _KNEW_ I COULD HELP YOU HUMAN! WHILE I KNOW YOU HAVE FAR TO GO; A SMILE A DAY IS A GREAT PLACE TO START!!” Quickly, you look away. You knew you were blushing, but you couldn’t even be mad because Papyrus’s good mood was stupidly contagious. Glancing at the doorway, you’re glad you don’t immediately see-well, fucking great, now you see Sans leaning against the frame. Fuck his teleportation. 

_____________“Holy cow bro; you made her smile?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“INDEED! THE HUMAN COULD NOT RESIST MY CHARM, IT WOULD SEEM. ALAS; IT IS A GREAT BURDEN THE GREAT PAPYRUS MUST CARRY, BEING THIS DEVASTATINGLY HANDSOME AND AWESOME.” You were really trying. You were _really_ trying; because if you weren’t looking at Sans, Papyrus would be the one to notice the smile trying to creep across your face. Throwing your arms on the counter; you bury your face into them. How the hell did this happen?? 

“What’s the matter kid? You find my bro _humorous_ or something?” 

_____________“SANS!! DO NOT RUIN THE HUMANS MOOD WITH YOUR TERRIBLE PUNS!” Poor Papyrus was stomping on the floor; you could feel the vibrations from where you stood not too far from him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“C’mon bro; that one was a real _rib-tickler.”_ You froze. Again. Tori.. Tori knew. Maybe she was just a mom?? Still.. if these two found out you were ticklish, this wouldn’t end well.. 

_____________“What’s the matter kid? You okay?” Hearing his voice right next to your ear; you leapt backwards and stumbled into Papyrus. He caught you easily and righted you before letting you go and giving you your space._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________“Nothing. You just.. startled me.” Sans gave you a suspicious look before shrugging._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________“Alright. Hey, speaking of being jumpy, what does a Froggit say when it’s cleaning its windows?” You immediately start walking away from Sans; though admittedly you were rather trapped in the kitchen._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________“NOPE!! Not happening! I heard this one from-” Pausing, you bring your arms up to wrap around your torso. “..never mind.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________“Human.. it is not healthy to keep your emotions pent up inside of you. You might burst, like a ball with too much air.” Papyrus pointed out very un-helpfully._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________Then the unexpected happened._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________“Give her some space, Paps. She’s had a rough day; she might not want to talk about it right now. You got her to smile, and that’s good enough for today.” Then he turned his attention to you; not that you noticed with your forehead resting on the kitchen sink cabinet._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________“But don’t think that this conversation is over, kiddo. Tomorrow, we’re all gonna have a friendly chat.” Trembling, you don’t respond to his unspoken threat. He would try to take away your blade as soon as he found out..! What if you left? Before tomorrow? Where would you go? Maybe-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________“-an? Human?? Are you alright?” Snapping back to reality; you were absolutely certain that you hadn’t been in your thoughts for that long._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________“Human, come eat something. I just finished my before-bed nightly spaghetti. You look like you could use the energy.” You shook your head. You weren’t hungry; even though that didn’t mean much. You were only eating a meal or two a day on the surface; and if you had only had on meal you had a few snacks. You had been working on starving yourself to death. Thankfully, you retained the skill this time around since you didn’t spend eight months with Toriel. Maybe that’s what you could do. Starve yourself to death down here. They wouldn’t even notice, would they?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_‘I mean; how many humans do they actually know? So far, I’m the only one that’s been down here that isn’t a fucking child.’_

______________  
“..I see. You must be too stressed to eat right now.. That just means I’ll have to make my extra-SPECIAL breakfast spaghetti, nyeh-heh!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Well, if you’re not hungry, then I guess we outa find a place for you to sleep. ‘Cause it’s not gonna be on the couch.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Human! You can sleep in MY room!! We can have a SLEEPOVER!!” Papyrus’ eyesockets shone with stars that you weren’t entirely sure where they came from._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Uh, I appreciate the gesture, but.. I don’t like to mooch off of people..”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Mooching? But human, I offered to share my room with you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“It’s not like you can leave kid. You kinda don’t really have a choice but to accept our kind offer; preferably with gratitude.” Sans regarded you coolly, and you fidgeted a bit. It wasn’t that you didn’t like Papyrus, it’s just.. being in a sleepover? With someone throughout the night? You were a loner and you couldn’t really handle that._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Human. Do you not.. _want_ to have a sleepover with me..?” Papyrus looked devastated. 

______________“N-No, it’s not..! I mean.. I..” You took a deep breath, gathering your thoughts into something you could explain._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“On the surface, males and females who aren’t.. romantically.. together.. don’t usually sleep in the same room, unless-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“They’re just nervous, bro. Being new to the Underground and all. You can use my room, kid.” His expression changed to a warning glance for a split second before taking on his more relaxed look again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“ABSOLUTELY NOT!! YOUR ROOM IS ALWAYS A DISASTER SANS!!” Papyrus paused for a second, “Though if the human is not comfortable yet in the Underground, then I suppose they can decide where they want to sleep.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You hated Sans. With a _passion._ But sleeping with someone in the same room.. who could touch you- 

______________“S-ans,” you choke on his name; trying to block out the thoughts._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“You okay kid?”  
“Are you alright, human?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Nodding rapidly, you don’t look up at them. Sans shrugs, then turns to his brother._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m gonna straighten up a bit. _Don’t_ let them leave.” With that, he vanished. Papyrus shifted awkwardly. 

______________“..would you like to watch some MTT?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________*************************************************************************************_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________It didn’t take more than five minutes, but during the short time that Sans was shuffling around upstairs; the show ‘Cooking with a Killer Robot’ had turned more into ‘Various Robot Poses While Trying to Make Questionable Quality Food Look Edible.’_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Suddenly, he was back._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Alright kid; you’re good to go. Time for bed.” Offering a hand to you, you glance at Papyrus as he stands. Choosing to follow Papyrus, you ignore Sans’ hand in favor of walking, but he takes your wrist and you experience vertigo again. This time is no better, as you’re currently on the floor, dry heaving and gagging._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“It isn’t so bad if you don’t fight it.” You turn to glare at him; but you’re met with another different scenario._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_‘..oookay. Quickly learning that if I experience vertigo and Sans in the same sentence; this is what I should expect.’_

__

There was an unmade bed, a treadmill, a closet and a dresser. In the corner there was a small tornado; but you tried to ignore it in favor of not showing interest in anything in front of Sans. A door led outside to a balcony; but there was a blue sheen over it. Turning around, you look for the door the led to the rest of the house and find another door directly behind you covered in the same blue. 

__

__

“Sorry kid; can’t have you escaping. ..I’ll be downstairs if you need me.” With the cold bid goodnight, he left in a flash of blue. You stand, slowly making your way to the glass door and putting your hand on the blue.. thing. It felt hard, like glass. It was smooth. But it also felt a bit moldable, like putty. Hitting it once; you discovered it gave just a bit before it became firm again. 

__

Magic is clever. 

__

You looked towards the closet; walking over and giving the handle a test jiggle. Nothing. 

__

Well, if nothing else; you know where he would put your blade. 

__

__

Taking in the rest of the room, it’s a disaster. Socks were the only thing in a pile; with shorts and shirts and trash covering the rest of the floor. You didn’t notice it before; but bedsheets were folded neatly and placed right inside the doorway that led downstairs. Deciding that you’re not going to sleep on someone else’s bed without sheets; you walk over the uneven, trash-laden floor and gather them in your arms before heading to the simple mattress sitting on the floor. Nope, nothing else. Just a mattress. You get to work on making the bed, not that it took very long. There were even a couple blankets for you, you had discovered. After placing the pillow in the pillowcase, you finish with the bed and sit on it; looking out over the sea of ick. Looking around for a window, your hopes were dashed as you seen blue sheen covering the only window in the room, the same blue that was on the doors. 

__

__

_‘Well, fine. No fresh air.. but it doesn’t mean I have to live in this.’_

____

Deciding to be nice (and admittedly for your own benefit as well); you stand and start picking up shorts, tossing them into a separate pile next to the socks. Then you go around getting the shirts, coming across a single pair of Sans’ boxers. It had a pair of little bones where the entrance of pockets would be on pants. Secretly you thought it was kind of cute; but you pushed the thought to the furthest part of your mind. There were many things you were willing to admit to yourself; but that was not one of them. Your back was kind of sore, but you looked around and noticed the garbage wasn’t really that bad. It just looked bad because of all the clothes that had been everywhere. Sighing, you start on your task to pick up the trash, putting cups and wrappers in the trashcan next to the bed and all papers in an organized stack on his dresser. You didn’t want to be rude and throw away something he might find important. Finally, as you were crawling into bed, a thought hits you. 

____

____

_‘Is it rude to just throw his clothes in a pile?’_

____

________________  
Inwardly groaning, you get back out of the increasingly more comfortable bed and head grumpily back to his clothes piles. Glaring at them slightly, you half flop; half sit down, not wanting to wake the others. You hated being rude; even if you were most of the time anyways._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

________________As you start to fold the clothes, you think upon your actions as a houseguest. You weren’t exactly.. pleasant. But then again; when were you? You were just abysmal in personality, and your attitude was always pessimistic. It’s no wonder no one liked you._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

_‘Who wants to hang around a depressed person..?’_

____

_________________  
Smiling to yourself, you notice the tears building up and trying to escape from the corners of your eyes and you blink them back. Continuing to fold clothes, you had moved onto the shorts and found his boxers again. You didn’t really want to touch them; because if they’re on the ground that means they’ve been worn and were then dirty, right? But.. do skeletons even excrete anything from their bodies? They were skeletons. It’s not like they had organs or anything. Shrugging, you decide it won’t kill you and you fold them, putting them between a few pairs of shorts so you wouldn’t embarrass him if he happened to walk in later. It could be good revenge, if it wasn’t creepy of you to fold his clothes. You shrug again, not terribly concerned with this thought since you’ve already been told that you had scared someone’s children before. That had hurt when it happened; but you had managed to bring yourself down a few pegs from the situation. So that was good, you guess._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

_‘Just a creepy fuck, aren’t you?’_ Sighing, you noticed your thoughts had spiraled downwards. After you had finally finished the shorts (if you hadn’t kept pausing, due to the distraction of your thoughts), you would have gotten finished a lot faster. You look at his sock pile and cringe. That wasn’t a pile you were looking forward to initially, but now you were curious. Did skeletons sweat? You started giggling uncontrollably, trying to keep quiet. Were you seriously thinking about smelling Sans’ _sock??_

____

_________________You know what.  
Fuck it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

Taking a sock from the top of the pile, you had quickly sobered, taking tentative whiffs until it was right next to your nose. It smelled like..  
Fabric. 

____

____

_‘Huh.’_

____

You glanced at his shorts before deciding that, _no,_ that was taking it too far. 

____

__________________With your curiosity satiated, you start folding his socks, matching them together and placing them neatly beside his other clothes. You figured it would take a while, since the pile was almost as tall as you while you sat down, though it was wider than you._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

__________________You don’t recall when your eyes had finally drifted shut._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you find out Wingdings doesn't work in text.


	7. Soul Of Stone?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys realize that you might not get another chapter, right? Not just from this story, but any story. Poof. They might be gone. Maybe they died. Maybe not. Who knows?

Waking up, you realize two things. The first being you had a really bad headache. Two; you could swear you seen someone standing above you.  
Someone with a blue hoodie; black sockets and tiny light pinpricks. Probably panicked, if looks served correctly.

_'S-Sans..?'_ you think groggily; the fog in your mind still clouding your thoughts. 

"-id? Kiddo, hey, wake up; this isn't a game-" 

Shooting up into a sitting position, you start to panic.. 

Aaaaand immediately regret it. 

_'Fuck you, your body says,'_ you think bitterly, _' and have a nice day!'_

Groaning, your panic dies down from the direct pain; and you find yourself cradling your head in your hands. What happened yesterday..? Why don't you remember- 

_"That could have been a GRAVE mistake,"_

_"My child, are you-"_

_"Hey.. are you.. alright..?"_

_Sobbing, down a hallway_

_Someone's chasing you; you have to run-_

_'What the h-'_ you try to clear your head, and it only gets worse. 

_Blood, everywhere on you, it's all you see-_

_Snow, but the evil kind??_

_A small room full of spiders and pastries; and it physically hurts to think abou-_

_More running; from someone who is much more dangerous if caught; your life depends on it you have to-_

_**D O N ' T G I V . . .**_

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Waking up, you blink a few times grumpily. Whoever woke you had a _lot_ of fucking nerve to disturb your beauty rest. And you needed a _lot of it_ -for your personality, that is. 

..or maybe it's your temper.

"HUMAN. HOW ARE YOU FEELING??" Your first initial thought was to snap at the voice that felt it was screaming into your ear; but for some reason your tongue thought better of it. Looking up, you spot Papyrus, who was looking down at you with some concern. 

Scratch concern.

Papyrus looked like _shit._

His battle body was shiny, and in good condition. Not a flaw on his scarf, gloves freshly cleaned, and even his boots were just polished no doubt. 

However.. 

He looked like he hasn't slept in a hundred years. Which, once again, is impressive for someone with no facial features to look tired by. His eyesockets were darker than usual; not having the same gleam to them that they usually have, and they were very dark underneath with circles you generally only associated with Sans. His eternal grin was no longer eternal; as it stretched across his face in an uncharacteristic, drastic frown. While his armor did shine; it had become.. lackluster. Like it had lost a part of it's gleam, along with his bubbly personality. Even his scarf no longer flowed like a cape in the wind. It just hung around his neck there, like a lost scrap of fabric. 

"Papyrus, are you okay?" You reach out a hand to him, resting it on his ulna before you realize what you've done. 

You just touched him. 

You are _touching him._

Instead of being mildly panicked; you find yourself calm as you watch Papyrus once again struggle with his words. He looks like he's trying to make the expression of everything you could feel listed under the letter 'J.' 

"HUMAN, I AM SO GLAD YOU ARE GLAD TO SEE ME, AS I KNOW YOU MUST BE, BUT PLEASE.. I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS.. I.. Human, I am worried for your health.." He looked down, fiddling with his gloves. As he looks for a distraction; you realize you are no longer in Sans' room. You're laying on the couch in their living room, with Papyrus kneeling next to you and Sans- 

Wow. 

Don't get the wrong idea; you hated that little fucker for tackling you into the snow and kidnapping you, but right now you just couldn't quite.. he looked so.. just entirely.. 

Broken. Like he wasn't even mentally there. Just.. slouching (more like becoming one with the couch; as far back as he was sinking into it) into the back of the seat on the other end of the couch, staring into space. Staring into some unknown place, of an unknown time. If you thought Papyrus was bad; looking at Sans was worse. He carried a look of concern, or maybe he was just shocked you passed out like that.. but even so, underneath the coverup he carried something deeper. A hidden sort of haunted look that you've seen people carry; usually right behind their eyes. You knew that look. They carry it when they've seen some serious shit in their life; and now.. now you're thinking that maybe you judged Sans a bit too early. Maybe. Perhaps. Lost in your thoughts; you didn't hear Papyrus talking to you, until you seen him shaking Sans. You quickly look back at Papyrus; eager to not look like you cared how Sans was doing. Because you didn't. _You?_ Caring about _Sans?_ Now _that_ was a good joke. You hear him take a shuddery breath. 

"H-Hey kid, how are you feeling..?" No joke? No sarcatic barb on the tip of his non-existent tongue? ..were you disappointed, or relieved? Not answering, Sans and Papyrus share a look that you don't catch. 

"You know kid, I didn't take you for the closet marshmallow type." 

"What." 

"Yeah, you cleaned my room and everything. I mean; I'm not surprised you made the bed, you were the one who was gonna sleep in it, but.. folding my clothes and picking up my trash? Heh, who do you think you are, my girlfriend or my mom?" 

"SANS! DO NOT BE RUDE!! CAN'T YOU SEE OUR HUMAN FRIEND IS STILL RECOVERING?!" 

"You're right bro. Speaking of recovering.." He looked down, leaning into the armrest of the couch now as he faced towards you. Pushing his hands into his pockets and closing his eye sockets.. somehow, he added, "Wanna start with your arms?" 

Panic. Cold and raw, the first thing that floods into your system. Adrenaline, hot and fast in your veins is next. Your body breaks out into a slight sweat on your upper back and the back of your neck in the mix of drastic temperature changes and anxiety. Your second natural reaction is to look down and find that; indeed, your flannel is indeed gone, and you're left in nothing but your pants and top. Where are your shoes and so- 

Something clicks into place in your mind; and you recall the distant memory of taking your socks off before bed last night. 'Bed.' As if you actually went to sleep in it. ..you hated sleeping in socks. 

Feeling sudden movement; you're pulled back into reality as you realize you are being picked up by Papyrus; and he sits on the opposite side of the couch from Sans (steals your spot). Papyrus leans more against the back of the couch more than the armrest _'He must not be comfortable being so tall and having so little to lean against like Sans can,'_ facing towards his brother, and settles you into his lap with ease. Now, you find yourself sitting on the lap of the taller skeleton with your back to his chest; your hand still on his ulna, facing towards Sans. You also find yourself squeezing tighter than you warrented yourself to; but you couldn't ease up, even when you tried. In your mind you were (partially) in control (though losing it steadily), but your body was in a full out panic. You were literally freezing up. Your breath started becoming shallow. _'This isn't like me; what the hell?? When have I ever worried about someone else's thoughts about my scars??'_

"Human.. it is alright. We won't let any harm befall you.." You felt a small, boney hand on your leg; just a few inches below your knee. 

"Easy, kid.. just breath. You can talk to us.. take however long you want." 

As if on que, as if they know what's _happening,_ the two start taking exaggerated breaths of air; breathing in slowly and holding it before releasing the air just as slow. Though, in a distant part of your mind; you note how they're slightly out of sync from each other. The thought makes you want to smile. Instead you burst into tears and start hyperventalating. 

"You fuckers stole my jacket- I need- I _need-_ My jacket is- Please, please I need it give it _back-_ Giveitgiveit-I-" You're rambling. You can't stop. You're crying and rambling and shaking. _'Shut UP, you stupid little-'_

_"Hey!"_ You feel something on your cheek. "None of that." You partially expect to have been slapped again, but instead you find Sans had crossed half the couch, and he was holding your face so that you're forced to look at him. 

"You are not stupid. You are important. Whether you believe me or not doesn't matter yet; because one day I'll make you believe that. So don't degrade yourself like that. You hear me, kid?" You've gone quiet; not really knowing what to say because all the noise in your head just disappeared. How did he make it..? Only your blade has ever.. 

"Yes, Human, please don't talk about yourself like that.." 

Wait. _'Fuck, I was talking out loud..? What else have they heard me say..?'_

Papyrus has pulled your body closer, so that you're nestled against him as close as you could be, comfortably. He's currently petting your hair and running his fingers through them, trying to calm you from your panicked state. Sans sits in front of you, still holding your face so that he is the only thing you can see in the room. 

"There you go, easy.. easy, kiddo, we've got you." He never takes his eyes from yours, and you can't help but be secretly grateful for that (even if you're not willing to admit it to yourself); because while you're literally lost in his endless abyss for eyes, you can't hear the noise of your racing thoughts. Can't feel the panic that was lacing it's way through your body; pricking painfully at your brain. 

Something about that particular phrase didn't make you scared; like previous phrases you've heard in your life, like 'You're safe,' which was more like 'You're trapped,' or 'I won't hurt you,' which equated to 'I won't hurt you if you do what I want you to' (also: 'I'm going to manipulate you'). 

But.. 

_'We've got you,'_ was.. safe? Sort of..? It had a.. sketchy quality, but it was.. warm, if you had to try and describe it. Like a fire. Distantly it reminded you of mafia gangs, where everyone looks out for each other. Inwardly, you snort at the thought of mafia skeletons and mentally wave the thought away. 

Seemingly to understand what you were thinking _'Probably body language;'_ Sans smiled at you-not, like, laughing at you; he was legit smiling- in a non-mocking fashion. 

"We've got you, kiddo. We've got you, okay?" He still held your face as Papyrus rested his head on top of your own, and you looked up with your eyes before returning your gaze to Sans questioningly. 

"Heh, he's just worried about you, kiddo. You did give us a scare there.." 

"Human, I thought.." hearing a whisper from above you, you look towards Papyrus. He clears his throat before continuing, and you feel something wet on your head as he pulls you ever closer. "I t-thought you were falling down.. and.. I.. the Great P-Papyrus.. c-couldn't help you.." 

Instantly, you turn from Sans and hug Papyrus with all your physical power; all you want to do is comfort him and you follow this overwhelming urge to a T. Your action in rewarded with a powerful hug from the Great Papyrus in return as his shoulders shake subtly. 

"Paps.. please don't cry for me. I don't.. I don't want to make you sad. I.." you have to pause; as you find yourself surprised that you mean your next words, "I'm so sorry, Papy.." 

You don't even turn to look as you feel a smaller hand rubbing your back, and you drag him into the hug faster than your brain can process what your arm is actually doing as it reached for him. Other than stiffening a bit, Sans doesn't fight you, and easily melds into the hug, as though he's done this before. 

After a while, everyone breaks apart to their usual positions. Sans back at the other end of the couch, and Papyrus holding you a tad bit more protectivly than before. _'But, that could be your mind playing tricks on your from the emotional moment just now,'_ you rationalize. 

"So kid.. I think it's time. What are they about?" You look down, seeing all of your scars.. in your eyes, they're the most beautiful thing about you, or on you. You take a deep breath, then realize you don't have to tell them.. but they deserved to know. You just thanked your few lucky stars that they couldn't read them. 

"They were born from hatred, and bred through sorrow. It's.. the simplest way to put it." After a long pause, you expected Sans to pipe up, but it wasn't him that spoke first. 

"Human, what.. what were your circumstances? Why would you feel so sad?" You held tight to his ulna, taking a few deep breaths before answering his question. 

"I come from a.. trash family." You were hesitant to tell them, but now that you started, you were eager to finally have someone listen to you, and not just _hear_ you. "But don't worry, I'm at the bottom of the bin. And I know everyone has bullies when they grow up, but did _everyone_ have to be mine..?" This isn't what you wanted to tell them. You just meant to tell them surface scars, not why you _really_ got them. But now you couldn't stop, even though you were trying. "And not to mention I didn't have anyone I could talk to, depend on. I mean, I had my mom and dad, but they got divorced when I was a kid. Like, three. And my mom got with another girl-I hope you two don't have a problem with lesbians-and they got married when I was about seven. But my stepmom didn't like my brother or I very much and my dad was okay as a kid, but.. when I grew older he grew distant and liked my half brother from another family more. It was then that I realized that he only ever tried to buy my love from me and.. I guess now I know how my brother felt, at least.." Finally, you had managed to divert your traitorous tongue onto a tangent. Feeling a gloved hand rubbing your side, you flinched a bit at the ticklish sensation before forcing yourself to relax at the attempted-to-be soothing touch. 

"You had a brother, Human?" You only nodded in response to his question. 

"What was your family like? How were they trash, kid? I know you don't want to talk about it, but.. your soul is in danger." 

"My.. soul..?" 

"I'll explain later." A shrug. "Keep going." 

You struggle for a moment to find your voice, "My family.. isn't the best. We were never really very close. We were kinda, when I was young. But, then again, that could just be my kid mind having thought that everything was perfect. My mother was a security guard, but.." You change tatics, not going any deeper. It didn't go unnoticed. "My f-father, on the other hand, had a variety of jobs. He even took apart bombs when I was a kid.. that.. that was pretty cool.. to be able to tell the other kids.. heh, talk about bragging rights.." 

"..and your brother?" If the fear that shot through you wasn't so distracting as you pressed yourself into Papyrus's frame further, you might have noted the suspicious tone his voice carried. 

"I hope he d-dies.." 

"Human!!" Papyrus drew back and held you away so he could look down at you with shock and mild horror. "How could you say-" Immediately pushing further away from Papyrus, you almost fall onto your back on the floor before his superior reflexes kick in and he grips you a more firmly. You now face the taller skeleton angrily. 

"You weren't the one who had to endure him!! How can you get on my ass about it if only you _knew_ what.. what I l-let.. what I turned him into.." Looking down, all the fight had left you as the tears slipped past your eyes unbidden, unwanted, but uncontrollable. A shuffling noise was heard to your left, and you kept your head down in shame as Sans' suspicions grew. 

"Hey kiddo. This brother of yours.. is he older or younger than you?" You kinda figured that question would pop up, but you were hoping againt hope that it would stay at the back of their minds. Tensing, you answer as you look away from Sans. 

"..older. But only by a year and a half.." You don't notice his eye sockets go dark until you hear ripping; and looking up reveals that Sans had been gripping the arm of the couch so hard his phalanges ripped the slightly worn material so much that it was bunched in his tightly held fist. 

"It was my fault.. I shouldn't have let him.. I should have known better.." Papyrus looked between you and Sans wildly, slowly piecing two and two, unbeknowest to you and Sans. 

"Human, what, exactly, did you let him do..?" 

You want to want to cry. You want to want to scream, or tremble uncontrollably at the mere thought of what you turned your older brother into.. but you felt nothing. Shame was a distant emotion; you could sense it there, somewhere, but you couldn't feel it. Not truly. You were numb. 

And that was dangerous. 

"I let him molest me.. from five to fifteen years old.." Now the tears start, as you slowly curl in on yourself. "I-I'm d-disgusting, like every other human out there.. Fuck, I wish I had never been born! I can't believe I hurt him like that.. I'm the w-worst fucking p-person I have ever m-met.. I even corrupted my own father. I was taken to the hospital, when I was about three. I had just got back from a visit from my father, and my.." pausing, you regain what little nerves you had left, "..my croch had been as large as a grapefruit. The doctors said that they couldn't 'possitively identify rape..' heh, I wonder what I did to aggitate my own father.. I really am a useless child.. b-because if I wasn't.. maybe what family I _did_ tell would have done something- _anything_.. even my mother.. well, she gave me a lock for my door; so I guess it was better than nothing.." Feeling yourself being shifted; you realize that you're being placed on the couch as Papyrus stands. He walks out without a word, and Sans is already gone. The door has a blue sheen on it though, and so do the windows, so they must be leaving for a while.. 

You sink into the couch and stare at the ceiling as the inevitable thought process comes. _It's all my fault.. I drove them away.. I shouldn't have let them in; this is always what happens. No one wants to deal with my shit. Why can't I just stop being so needy?! I don't want this!! I never asked to be born!! Why-'_ Your thoughts are intrupted as a large explosion shakes the house; and it vibrates with the aftershocks. Jumping off the couch; you race towards the kitchen and pull yourself up the ridiculously tall sink to peer out the window over it, and see.. 

The skeleton brothers have two colored magics in flames about them. The closest trees had turned to ash around them, and further ones had broken to pieces about the size of logs. The snow near them hadn't been turned to slush; instead it had been pushed back to a large snowdrift around them, the edge starting roughly fifteen feet behind either brother, if you had to guess. _'Which brings up the question about the trees, but whatever, I guess..'_ The brothers themselves seemed to be attacking each other; belting out their attacks left and right.. but looking closer, their attacks are missing each brother drastically, even as objects are hurled at a speed you can't identify what they actually are. Blue surrounded Sans in a fierce fire sort of way; while Papyrus had an orange aura floating around him like healing magic you seen Toriel use.. though Papyrus's magic was becoming much more jagged by the moment; like lightning. It surrounded him in gigantic bursts. 

As you lay on your stomach on the corner of the sink, you watch with awe at the overly powerful beings in front of you. _This_ is what you had to escape?! If you had met them in any other circumstance, you might have almost wanted to try and save your own life.. but you didn't. And you couldn't, anyways, even if you actually wanted to. It was too late for a stupid fucker like you. Starting to get lost in your thoughts again, you almost don't notice the skeleton brothers slowing their attacks, and just like that, it was over almost as quickly as it had started, leaving the only proof that the battle existed outside. Pulling yourself out of your thoughts; you quickly hop down from the counter, and fail to notice Sans disappearing completely. As you scamper back to the couch, you hear a low chuckling. 

"Heh, kid, I didn't know you were so worried about us." This caused an immediate flare of irritation. 

"I was _not-_ I didn't- I wasn't-" Sans chuckled some more, shaking his head as he put up his hands in a pacifying motion and gestured back towards the couch, which you approached over a few steps cautiously, but otherwise refused to get closer. Mainly it was because you heard noise by the door and Papyrus burst in not a moment later, only pausing when he no longer spotted you on the couch alongside his brother. After the brief hesisitation (that if you were being honest, you almost didn't notice. Very perceptive, this one), he swiftly come towards you, and despite you taking a step back out of instinct-and only one, because he was already upon you-he swept you up in one fluid moment and returned to his previous spot on the couch, while Sans casted you a slow wink to accompany his usual lazy grin. 

They both acted like that never happened. 

"Um, what was _that?"_

"We just needed a little.. excercise, dearest Human. Nothing to worry yourself about." As Papyrus shifted you closer, he once again rested his head on top of yours, and you looked at Sans in confusion, who only shrugged nonchalontly. 

"So. Those scars." 

"I did it. I made them." Sans scooted closer, taking your arms and looking them up and down, glancing at your facial expression once in awhile to make sure you were okay with it. You sort of were, as you realized that you could not escape these two anytime soon as long as their guard was up. So you would play their game for now.. you would give up fighting, and when they didn't expect it, you could slip away. 

"Burden.. Selfish.. Useless.. Kid, you really believe that, huh?" His face took on a saddened quality as he examined your arm. _Now_ you fought back. 

Pulling your arms out of his grasp so suddenly, he jerked away himself, afraid that he had hurt you. You, on the other hand, had cuddled up to Papyrus; arms hidden beneath your chest as you leaned into him, glaring at Sans with a tint of a shocked and hurt expression. 

"..you shouldn't be able to read them." 

"That's what you were worried about??" He gave a sigh of relief. "I thought I had hurt you." 

"You shouldn't be; because they're old and faded and most of them aren't even written well! And that's not including the fact that most of them are in different languages.." 

Sans hummed, letting Papyrus take over as he lay down in a relaxed position and taking up almost the entire couch. His pink slippers brushed the sides of your bare feet, and you were _not_ okay with that, so you moved them subtly, praying to whoever would listen that they didn't notice. Nothing seemed to happen, so after a moment you figured they didn't. 

"Small human, our eyes-or lack thereof, as skeletons-are superior to human eyes. Also, we can read many languages; just like we can speak many. We are not limited to just one or two, or even three perhaps, like humans are in general. It runs within our magic; and it assists us in overcoming the different boundaries between monster kind." 

"So it's like, in your DNA?" Papyrus tilted his head back and forth, in a 'so-so' manner. Or at least; that's what it felt like. 

"Human DNA and monster 'DNA' are entirely different concepts. Monsters do not truly _have_ DNA to run us, or direct us. Magic is solely what makes us who we are." He ran a hand up and down your arm, comforting you. "But worry not, Human! We will help you see you are not like what you.. erm-" 

"Engraved. I'm a carver. A step above someone who simply cuts. It takes a lot of.. patience, and practice to be able to engrave words, or whole phrases into your skin." _'I'm a butcher with a smile, cut me farther..'_ You couldn't help it. That was your favorite part of the song. 

"You have engraved whole phrases into your skin?!" You shrugged, looking down. 

"..is it somewhere you don't want to show us, kid?" Ah, so Sans has piped up again. 

Shrugging, you pause for a moment to think about what it implies. It's on your upper stomach, but so far, besides being a bit too clingy and touchy-feely, all they've given you are hugs and comfort. 

"Brother, do not push them so much in one day, they-" 

"I'll do it." They both turn to look at you. 

"I mean, I'll show you." Papyrus removed his arms from your body to allow you the room to lift your shirt, while Sans sat up again. Slowly you lift your shirt, not trying to tantalyze them or anything; god no. You were.. kinda nervous is all. Not that you would admit it to them. 

Maybe. 

_'I might as well show them I live up to my title.. I mean, I basically am a whore.'_ As you stripped off your shirt, you noticed they both looked away from you. Sans was dusted a bit blue on the face while Papyrus was covered in an orange glow and refusing to make eye contact. 

"Guys, relax. It's.. it's okay." That was all you could say to even remotely try to soothe their nerves; and it probably sounded like you were trying to soothe your own more than theirs. Or it sounded like you failed miserably. Meh. 

Sans looked at your face a few moments after the words left your mouth, only letting his eyelights waver from your eyes when you nod to him your consent. You can practically feel his eyes roaming over your torso; and you shivered a bit under his careful watch. Sans reached out to touch the paragraph engraved into your upper stomach, and you tensed as you noticed his hand approaching. Suddenly, it stopped.. and even moved backwards a few inches. Glancing up to it's owner, you see his face outlined with the features of concern. Eyelights back up and locked onto your eyes again. You nod again without hesitation, and the hand slowly decends onto your old scarring. You don't even jump when it makes contact. 

Papyrus, having taken after his brothers lead, places his hand on your shoulder. You look up at him and nod your consent to him as well, trusting this brother more than Sans. Papyrus took a moment longer to check your face, looking for something in your eyes and.. apparently not finding it. He nods back before breaking eye contact and looking down over the rest of your skin. 

You had to say; sitting on the lap of a skeleton with nothing but your sports bra, underwear and pants on was slightly unnerving. You were self-concious, absolutely. Who wasn't, unless they were really hot? But.. even then, they still sometimes had issues with their confidence. And that was the sad part. You? You had confidence issues with your stomach (of course, the pouch every girl had), thighs, and feet. You stopped caring about your breasts a long time ago; realizing you would never be any bigger than the size of mochi. Hell, you were even _smaller_ than mochi. You suddenly flinched, giving a soft yelp as you felt fabric brushing the scar on your side softly. 

"Human, I am sorry-" 

"No, no," you shook your head, "I was just lost in thought. It.. happens more oftens than I would like to admit." 

"Don't worry kid. We've noticed." Looking back at Sans, he was still looking over the scaring on your upper stomach. 

"'One more or one less nobody's worried?'" 

"There's a comma in there; but I didn't add it. And yeah.. I know it's stupid, but it was a song I related to strongly. So I took a part of it, and made it a part of me. Whether I'm here or not, no one would be worried. Not for long. After all, no one really matters in the big picture. Everyone is expenable; not even a speck in the timeline created since the creation of the universe itself. Using that logic, nothing you do, and no one really matters. It's very simple, really." Both Sans and Papyrus were staring at you now, but Papyrus broke first, with a hushed whisper. 

"Human.." Suddenly, you were in his arms, squished against the tol skelly. _'He really is a cinnamon roll,'_ you thought to yourself as you brought your hands around to hug him as best as you could. Then you remembered. 

"Hey, Papyrus.." _'Wow, if I were any quieter I almost wouldn't have heard myself.'_

"Yes, small Human?" He gave you a bit of room to talk, but still kept you in an iron hug. An iron hug full of comfort and care. 

"Why were you worried about me? I don't.. I don't remember much. Except for Sans kidnapping me, Sans you dick," you cast a quick glare at him, only to be met with a smirk before you return to your conversation with Papyrus, "and the resulting argument.. and ending up in his room. But.. that's it.." 

"Language," he scolded gently, facial features converting into a stern look, if only for a second before going back to looking at you softly. "And.. Sans went upstairs to wake you, when he found you on the floor. He said he got you to wake, but.." Sans intrupted. 

"But when you woke up, you started freaking out. Not in the same sort of panic attack you had earlier; but you looked like you about to have one. Then you just, I dunno, you looked like you were in _so much pain.._ " he sighed, then took a breath and continued. "So I took out your soul. And.. god, kiddo.. I glanced at it before, but seeing it up close.." Shuddering, he stopped the conversation there. It was a tense few minutes before you gathered the courage to ask. 

"What was wrong with my soul?" In the deafening silence of the house, your question seemed spoken louder than the minimal vocal cords you actually used. Sans stiffened as he seemingly braced himself; like he was literally forcing the words out of his mouth. 

"It.. it was.. cracked. Your soul.. twice. It has two.." He stopped, unable to continue his train of thought, so he turned to you with his own question instead, facing you with a seriousness you haven't seen on him for.. well, what felt like years, even though you've hardly met him. 

"How many times have you tried to kill yourself?" 

You really should have expected that question, of all questions. But something just didn't allow you to think, for even a moment, that this question had a good probability to be asked. So you shrug, even though you knew the answer. 

"Human, this is very serious. You shouldn't feel like you have to die to make everyone else happy." Wow. This one was really perceptive; even moreso than you just gave him credit for. "You should be able to be happy-SANS!!" You feel a sharp tug in your chest, and then you knew why. 

Your soul had been pulled out. 

And Sans looked angrier than hell. 

"Oh." 

"'Oh?' Kid, fucking _'oh?"_

"Brother! That is enough!!" You felt your body being pulled closer to Papyrus; his long arms shielding you from his brother's sharp glare, even as Sans has your soul floating just inches above his hand; his hand itself cradling the soul with more care than you've seen Sans give anything. 

"Relax, bro. I just want them to see what they've done to their culmmative being." 

So you do just that. Leaning forward, you reach out to take your soul from him. Sans reluctantly hands you your soul, as though cautious that you would try something drastic. ..not that it's occured to you to try it, of course. 

It looks truly broken. Cracked at the top, two different lines run through it, almost to the center. The outsides look faded, the color fading away at the edges too. Gives it a kinda feathered look; as though it were painted by brush. Purple was the soft light that eminated from your soul; while an almost see-through green was the feathered color on the edge. Yellow was your center, and while the green enveloped most of your soul, leaving a small area for the spot of Justice, the yellow was so concetrated that it shown quite well. It wasn't a perfect circle, more like an oval, when you looked at it closer. You gently cupped your soul in your hands and held it to your face, mildly amused to know that it glows in the dark, if only faintly. Your colors were pretty faded, apparently. They were.. pale, compared to colors you were used to. Bright, vivid yellow verses the dull, dim yellow your soul barely pulsed out. Vibrant, deep green verses the faded see-through green, and a barely-noticable purple verses royal purple, or amethyst. 

"Souls glow in the dark?" Sans and Papyrus shared looks that ranged from amused to incredulous. 

Pulling your soul away, you gently trace the cracks at the base, feeling the resonating pain deep in your chest. You slowly breath in deep, taking one curve of each side of your soul comfortably in each hand.. 

Then.. 

You pull apart as violently as you can. 

And promptly had your soul snatched from you, Sans looking enraged. Papyrus on the other hand.. He looked _beyond_ furious, for all of the split second you caught the emotion, before he disciplined his features into a more calm persona. He only looked mildly miffed; and _greatly_ irritated, as though fed up with your nonsense. 

The most surprising thing, however, is the way Papyrus handed Sans your soul. Papyrus was the one who took your soul, with speed so quick that you didn't even see him grab it. ..then again, he could have used his magic. 

Thusly, with your soul thoroughly trapped in Sans' possession (who admittedly looked rather amusing, slightly hunched over your soul like he was and glaring at you with an adorable frown on his face), you find yourself quickly turned to face Papyrus. He sat you firmly in his lap, facing him, and took several deep breaths before he began his rant. 

"Human. I understand you are in pain. However. I must insist that you do not try and bring harm to yourself. For if you cannot stop doing so.." For being an adorable cinnamon roll, he could be hella scary as his face took a shadowed look to it. "Then my brother Sans and I will be forced to resort to drastic measures." 

"But don't you need my soul to break your barrier?" They both froze. 

"Who told you that, kid?" You turn towards him lazily. 

"Toriel." Papyrus looked at Sans with shock; the latter who didn't look very surprised at all. 

"Human, while.. you have a valid point.." Papyrus shook his head, apparently clearing whatever doubts he carried as he continued. "No. You have proven that you are a good human!! You are kind, and caring.. and even if you don't feel that way about yourself; you have passion for other people!! Sans!! We will help this human, won't we?!" Sans grinned wickedly, looking at you with mischief practically dancing in his eye lights. 

"Absolutely bro. But, you wanna do me a favor?" Papyrus narrowed his eye sockets. 

"What?" 

"Nothing major bro; just hold the human still so I can put their soul back-without them trying to hurt it." 

"Of course, brother!" Even as the words were leaving his mouth, Papyrus had pulled you slightly away from him, and using his lanky arms to his advantage, he held your arms out at the elbows, so you couldn't reach your chest when Sans placed back your soul. 

Speaking of the devil, Sans winked at you again, with the socket facing away from his brother so that he wouldn't see his intentions. You started to become nervous, this was a very compromising position and Sans and his hand was getting _closer-_

And just like that, your soul slid back into your chest. 

Sans snickered at your obvious flustered expression, reveling in the fact that he got you. 

"What's the matter kid? Did I _get your goat?_ " No. There was no way he knew. _No. WAY-_

A prod in the side and waggling bone brows told you otherwise. You whined as Papyrus let go of your arms, cuddling up to him and really wanting your shirt. 

"Wow, not even any 'fuck you, Sans?' I'm disappointed in you, kiddo." The glare you sent him was more than enough to shut him up, though it was because he was laughing so hard. Suddenly feeling uncharacteristacally playful, you grinned devishly at Papyrus, who looked back at you cautiously. 

While Sans was just petering out of laughter, having flopped onto his back to properly take amusement in your suffering, you took hold of his boney ankle. His legs were _right beside_ you-of _course_ you had to take advantage of that! As soon as you took hold; you felt him tense and try and jerk his leg away. Sadly for him; bones give an amazing grip, and you gave him the most evil sort of grin you could muster as you slowly took off his slipper. The sick smile must have had some sort of effect, because you could see him sweating nervously, his grin wavering. 

"W-Woah, hey, kiddo, no need for thaAAT!!" You ran your fingers between his phlanges; scribbling gently with your nails and watching with amusement as his skull slowly turned a light shade of blue. 

"P-PapyyyyyrUUUSsssss..! H-Haha..Help meeEEE!!" Sans' constant squirming made it difficult to properly dig your fingers under his tiny little toe bones; but the resulting high pitched squeal made it totally worth it. 

"I am sorry brother; but I must agree with the Human. You were antagonizing them, and I cannot stop them; their need for vengence is too strong.. looks like you'll be trapped by their tickles forever." While Papyrus added his playful teases, he shot you a soft smile, which mildly surprised you before you returned a genuine grin. After a moment you returned your attention to tickling the fuck out of Sans, while Papyrus watched you both warmly. 

"Nooohohoo!! AUGH, can you _n-nahaha-_ " deciding to end it quickly, you decide.. not to grant him mercy. You instead blow raspberries onto his little toesies, which apparently, is the equivilant to skeletal torture. 

"NAHAHAHA!! S-STAHAHAHP!! I-I SURRENDERRRRR!!" Poor, poor Sans. He was cackling and twisting and turning, like a worm unable to escape a hook. Papyrus chuckled and danced a few fingers up your left side, which forced you to let out your own small shriek and lean even further into his front-not that it really mattered; with Sans' own laughter swallowing up your own. You looked up and giggled nervously upon spotting the warning grin Papyrus was playfully sporting, apparently deciding his brother has had enough. You decide to let go of Sans. 

Your action was rewarded with the amusing sight of Sans practically backwards-crabwalking away from your tickly hands on the couch.. only to miss a hand purchase and tumble onto the floor. You, being you, promptly burst out laughing, even as you attempt to stand. 

"Sans, are you o-" 

"Brother, are you alright??" You had been swept up into Papyrus' arms, and he easily crossed the distance between himself and Sans in a few easy steps. Sans wasn't gasping for air, but he was still breathing pretty heavily. He glared at you, but the smile plastered onto his face was more than enough to take out any harm it might cause. 

"Kiddo, you are _so_ dead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also: the last chapter turned out to be an accident. It wasn't written like that, for the most part.  
> But hey, something mildly possessing you and messing with your memory..? Whaaat??
> 
> I wonder who _that_ could be..


	8. YO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Usually, I would refuse even the thought of putting up a 'fake' chapter; but another site I post to (secondary site); someone decided to give some harsh criticism. So let me make this _very. clear._

It's come to my attention that some of you don't like my story. Well, news flash. It's my fucking story, and I'm not here to please you. I'm here because this is basically my background; put into some kind of dumb stress relief thing because other people don't want me to kill myself. Pretty _stupid,_ right? Anyways; yeah. This _isn't_ about what you guys think or want. This is about me. And if you relate; fan-fucking-tastic: I'm sorry you also had/have shit lives. If you don't; then keep your _dumbass comments_ to _yourself._ I don't need your thoughts on something that you have no control over.

Don't like it?

Then _don't fucking read my story._


	9. The Multiverse Theory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a high chance this could be my last chapter.  
> This isn't working very well.  
> Oh well.

You wake up.  
Again.  
  
You're still passed out by the sock pile. Looking out the window; you see.. trees. No light.  
  
_'I guess since I'm Underground.. that makes sense..'_ Standing; you recall your dream, and blush a little bit.  
  
What.  
The _actual fuck._  
  
You desperately cover your face, despite being alone in the room. Is this what your subconscious wanted?? A perfect, happy ending??  
..happy endings don't exist.  
  
With your blush successfully dispersed thanks to that somber thought; you reach for the door, just for it to swing open and nail you in the hip.  
  
" _FUCK!! Ow,_ what is your _problem?!"_ You hiss angrily as the door quickly rebounds from you, just to show a tall skeleton peeking in.  
  
"HUMAN, YOU NEED TO WORK ON YOUR REFLEXES. I COULD HAVE BEEN A SURPRISE ATTACKER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT."  
  
"Attack me. See if I fucking care."  
Papyrus looked mildly displeased with your answer, yet pushed no farther, leaving the door open as he left.  
  
Walking down the stairs, he added, "BREAKFAST WILL BE READY SOON. I HAVE MADE PANCAKES, SINCE YOU SEEMED TO HAVE HAD A ROUGH NIGHT.  
..WE ARE ALSO OUT OF TOMATOES. SO I WILL HAVE TO CONTACT UNDYNE TO GET MORE. YOU WILL STAY WITH SANS."  
  
"Are you fucking _serious_ right now?!"  
  
"LANGUAGE. I WILL NOT TOLERATE THAT IN MY HOME." Muttering to yourself; you let yourself be reprimanded. In the meantime; that dream was really.. nice..  
Not that you would ever admit it of course. You don't deserve things like that. Trash like you is still trash. While maybe, perhaps a little bit, you _miiiiight possibly_ want someone to open up to and loved like that.. well.. even if you _might_ have wanted it, even a _little bit,_ it still wouldn't happen. People like you.. heh. You don't deserve a happy ending. You felt the blade in your back pocket and lifted your sleeves quick.  
  
It was pretty ballsy; but you needed it.  
Just a few.  
  
Pulling out your blade; you gently make several shallow slits into your skin. The blood barely beaded; but the sting of pain was what you were looking for. A fat blood drop was threatening to stain the carpet; so you quickly pull your sleeve down and let it soak in.  
As perceptive as people could be, one small drop of blood wouldn't hurt, right? You move the arm of your sleeve away from you and take a look at it. You got lucky. You didn't plan on it landing on the red part of the cloth; but it did. It doesn't blend perfectly; but unless you're staring straight at it, it's pretty unnoticeable.  
Turning towards the partially open door (you had dared not to close it in case it did something stupid, like squeak), you tuck your blade back into your back pocket and take a peek outside.  
  
Nothing.  
  
You heard something downstairs, though.  
And you seen something in front of you.  
  
"Heh. There you are.. hey, acting kinda suspicious, aren't you?" Peering at you, Sans had popped up in front of you, directly in front of your face.  
  
In response to this, you oh-so-gracefully jerked backwards; pushing off Sans like a backboard (but with your hands), and landing on your butt with a small shriek of surprise.  
Sans, however, grunted as he hit the railing; grabbing onto it like a lifeline before turning to glare at you.  
  
"You know, I had thought that since you weren't in the kitchen; I would give you a wake-up call. But now? Oh, kid. You're asking for a bad-"  
  
"Before you finish fucking threatening me; _maybe_ you should think about _why_ I just pushed you. There's _no way_ it would have _anything_ to do with you popping out of nowhere and scaring the bajesus out of me. So maybe you should just say 'sorry.'"  
  
"'Sorry?'" He raised an bonebrow at you.  
  
"Thank you." You huff and cross your arms; sitting criss-cross-apple-sauce.  
  
"What? No. I'm not apologizing, sorry kiddo." Huh. So it's hard to fluster him. Good to know..  
  
"Oh, nice boxers by the way," you add with a malicious smirk, "I guess that's one way to tell the world you've got a _bone-r._ " Now he dusted a very, _very_ faint light blue.  
He also lost his eyelights.  
Uh-oh.  
  
Barging past you as you tried to stand (which ended up with you on your ass again), Sans stormed into his room. Probably to assess the 'damage' of your cleaning. Turning around and looking at his room; he looked almost.. heartbroken.  
..  
  
Could you break a skele-heart?  
Eh, probably not. Anyways; he looked like someone had physically crushed his hopes and dreams right in front of him.  
  
"Kid.. what the fuck.." he breathed out. He was talking so softly, you hardly even heard him.  
  
"What are you talki-" he threw his hands up; shaking his head back a forth for a few moments before turning away from you.  
  
"Just.. just get _out._ " You don't question it; you just leave and head down the stairs.  
  
_'This is what I get for trying to do a good thing..'_ sighing, you pause, looking at the front door before you deflate at the sight of blue across it. Continuing your journey to the kitchen, feeling even worse than when you first woke up. You reach the doorway of the kitchen, but hesitate; not quite prepared to confront the taller brother. Something moved in your peripheral, and as you glance at your shadow.. you could have sworn you seen it move.  
But it couldn't have, because you were standing still, so you brush the thought off and chalk it up to nerves.  
  
_'My dream was sure weird though.. they don't act like that at all. Is that.. how I want them to act? Nah. They're too annoying to want to have anything to do with them. But why..? What the fuck is wrong with my psyche?!'_ So caught up in thought, you barely had time to register movement in front of you, schooling your facial features just in time for him to notice you.  
  
"HUMAN, THERE YOU ARE!! I HAD ALMOST THOUGHT YOU HAD FELL BACK ASLEEP LIKE MY LAZY BONED BROTHER!!" You don't respond; letting him take over the conversation.  
  
"HUMAN? ARE YOU ALRIGHT? ARE YOU ILL??" You shake your head no, you are not in fact, ill.  
Papyrus doesn't look entirely convinced; but you're not exactly at liberty to care, now are you?  
  
"WELL.. IF YOU SAY SO. COME!! SANS ALWAYS USED TO LIKE PANCAKES.. EVEN IF HE SMOTHERS THEM IN KETCHUP. SO SURELY YOU MUST ALSO LIKE THE MILDLY PLEASING FLUFFY GOODNESS."  
Sounds like Sans isn't the only one who likes pancakes.  
  
You still don't respond, even as he basically heards you over to a spare chair that looks _extremely_ dusty. He sat you down in it, and you cringed when you sat; waiting for him to turn around back to the pancakes still in his too-large skillet before you wiped a finger through the dust to assess how much dust you just got placed in.  
You lift your finger to examine it and find nothing. Looking back down; you see no finger-swipe or any disturbance what-so-ever.  
Upon further examination; you notice it's just painted like there's a bunch of dust on it.  
  
_'Who the fuck would waste so much time painting fake dust onto a chair?'_  
  
"HUMAN!! I SEE YOU HAVE NOTICED THAT AMAZINGLY DETAILED CHAIR YOU HAVE BEEN SET UPON!! YOU WOULD BE AMAZED TO KNOW THAT I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AM NOT ONLY A GREAT COOK; BUT AN INCREDIBLE PAINTER AS WELL!! NYEH!!" His scarf fluttered dramatically behind him as you looked up respectively.  
  
"Isn't it supposed to be art and music?" Papyrus looked at you in confusion before it changed to mild irritation.  
  
"I AM SURE I COULD HAVE MASTERED MUSIC; HOWEVER.. SANS TOOK THE SKILL UPON HIMSELF AND HAS RUINED IT WITH THESE AWFUL PUNS. THUS, YOU SEE, IT CAN NO LONGER BE AN ART." You give him a doubtful look.  
  
"I don't think that's how art works.." Suddenly, he looks remorseful, before perking up again.  
_'This guy goes through so many different emotions..'_  
  
"NYEH!! HUMAN, YOU HAVE MUCH TO LEARN. BUT WORRY NOT!! I AM MORE THAN WILLING TO TEACH YOU."  
  
_'Oh joy,'_ you think sarcastically.  
Papyrus had turned off the stove and you sat back up, partially leaning against the wall you had been deposited next to. _'Probably so I don't try to dip.'_  
  
Looking at the giant door frame dividing the living room from the kitchen, the two empty chairs between you and the exit had turned to one.  
Sans now leaned back in his chair dangerously; eyeing you the entire time, even as Papyrus yelled at him and firmly planted his chair on the floor. You feel something shoot up and down your spine. Feels tingly.  
  
As you watch Sans watching you; you notice his eyesockets widen a fraction, eyelights shrinking to pinpricks.  
Then he blinks, and he looks completely normal.  
  
Was it just in your head?  
What is _wrong_ with you lately??  
  
Papyrus suddenly places a stack of three pancakes on your plate, and you startle.  
  
"WHILE I KNOW A CHALLENGE SHOULD RARELY BE TURNED DOWN; PLEASE REFRAIN FROM ENGAGING IN STARING CONTESTS AT THE TABLE. IT'S VERY RUDE." Sans broke eye contact after another half-moment; grinning lazily at his brother as he reached in his jacket, rummaging around a bit before he produced a bottle of ketchup.  
  
"What's the matter bro? Ya can't _ketch-up_ to our skill level?" Papyrus held onto his fork a little too harshly.  
You seen your chance. You couldn't stop yourself.  
  
"Come on, Sans. _Must-ard_ you do this to him?" You froze.  
  
So did the other two.  
  
At the same time Papyrus screamed and threw his fork somewhere behind him (it clinked loudly against either the fridge or the stove; you couldn't tell), Sans had grinned at you sharply, as if accepting a challenge. You put your hands out in front of you, trying to stop him from saying anything.  
  
"I didn't mean- it just slipped out- I'm sorry!!"  
Now you're apologizing?? To _Sans??_ "I mean; I'm not sorry- I still didn't mean to let it out; but-"  
  
"Hey, kid.." You freeze again, your mind covering your stupidity a little late by bringing your hands to cover your dumb, big mouth.  
  
"That wasn't bad; but you might need to work on your jokes if.." Papyrus looked at him sharply.  
  
"You want other people to.."  
  
"SANS, DON'T-"  
  
" _Relish_ your puns." Finger guns. He was giving you finger guns.  
Papyrus, the poor soul, was stock-still. Then he stiffly stood from the table; storming out of the kitchen, through the living room and stomped loudly up the stairs. After a moment of awkward silence, you gave Sans a mildly scared, mildly concerned glance. He held up a finger in response as he waited, then lowered his hand as a door (most likely Papyrus going to his room) slammed shut, vibrating through the house.  
  
"Didn't know you liked jokes, kid. Maybe we could still get along.. Maybe." With that he disappeared.  
His pancakes were gone too, along with the ketchup bottle.  
  
_'This is how I'm going to start my day. Of course it is,'_ sighing in defeat from their antics; you almost take a bite of the pancakes before something wriggled incessantly in the back of your mind; nagging you to remember something.. right! There was a part of your dream, about starving yourself.  
You notice that the first pancake is cut into; but you mentally shrug, already having an idea. You place the cut pancake on top of the stack of pancakes in the center of the table; then carefully fit the piece that was cut into its slot, so that it's hardly noticeable. Then, just as carefully, you add the two remaining pancakes onto the pile, hiding the third.  
  
Standing; it takes a few minutes for you to find anything that remotely looks like plastic wrap; and instead end up using foil.  
Eh. Foil works too, you don't care enough to be picky. You just prefer the plastic wrap because foil is loud as fuck.  
After you wrap the stack of (probably ten) pancakes; you tuck them into the fridge and put the foil back from whence it came.  
  
_'Nerds better not have heard me..'_ you glance out of the kitchen quick, but see nor hear any signs of either brother.  
  
After, you gather the dishes-because what the fuck else do you have to do to kill time besides conversing-and begin to wash them. Given, you had needed to grab the chair Papyrus had lent you because the sink was tall as fuck; but whatevs, you guess.  
As you scrub at the skillet Papyrus used to cook; you let your thoughts drift once more.  
  
_'If I'm being honest with myself, they'll probably get tired of me. I mean, fuck. Everyone else does. Why should monsters be any different? And there is no way in the seven levels of HELL I'd tell them-give them my baggage. ..it's only mine to bear.'_ You're washing the dishes solely on autopilot, rinsing them and drying each one before finding the spot that they go to.  
  
_'Maybe I could get Papyrus to take me out of here.. that.. that could work, actually..'_ you pause as you're wiping down the table. Judging from what you've seen..  
  
Your plan might work.  
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Finally, Papyrus has returned from his room. He appears to have a bit of snow on his scarf, but you don't question it. It's not like he would jump out a window or anything; even he isn't that stupid.  
  
"HUMAN! I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU ARE OUT AND ABOUT!!" You were literally just sitting on the couch. You didn't even turn on the television because you didn't need them even more irritated with you.  
  
"Aaaaand.. _where_ else, exactly, would I be?" To his credit, he almost looked surprised.  
Almost.  
  
"DID YOU AND SANS STILL NOT MAKE UP?"  
  
"Nope. And frankly, I don't want to, either." Papyrus frowned at you as you turned away; showing obvious indifference. Time to implement your plan.  
  
"I was actually hoping.. nevermind; it's stupid." Feigning a look of disappointment; you make sure not to make eye contact with him.  
  
"YOU CAN TELL ME, HUMAN. I AM SURE IT IS NOT STUPID. I AM WILLING TO DO WHAT I CAN TO HELP YOU BE MORE COMFORTABLE HERE." You make a point of fidgiting your fingers; tenting them together before tangling them with one another.  
  
"I kind of.. I mean, I noticed all the beautiful snow outside and I wanted.. I wanted to make a snowman." Papyrus made to speak, but didn't get out a single syllable before you cut him off. "I know I can't. It's okay. It was just.. just a nice thought, is all."  
  
You dare not glance at him, because that would ruin the effect. However, you weren't expecting him to round the couch and kneel in front of you, either. He was staring at you, looking for something _(Looking for something in your face and not finding it,)_ and not finding what he appeared to have wanted to see.  
  
Your head started itching. Well, more like your brain. As Papyrus stood up, his shadow looked darker than usual. Though, the second you looked at it straight on it was normal.  
You should really see someone about these hallucinations.  
  
"HUMAN. GRAB YOUR COAT. WE ARE GOING INTO THE YARD TO CREATE A SNOWMAN." You looked at him in shock. For a second you had thought it wouldn't happen, but now you were glad you had a genuine reaction, because he looks pleased as he nods to himself.  
You stand, walking over and putting on your coat when you feel a hand firmly placed on your shoulder, and Papyrus' voice in your ear.  
  
"Make no mistake human. If you decide to try and flee from me; the consequences for your actions will be dire." You shivered and stiffly nodded, then the pressure on your shoulder was suddenly gone. "NYEH. WITH THAT SAID, WE WILL BE STAYING IN THE FRONT YARD." He opened the door for you, with grace and charm that only existed in movies, and you refrained from flipping him off for what you perceived to be a sarcastic gesture.  
  
After you step outside; the first thing you do is take a few steps away from the house. You can feel Papyrus' gaze boring into your back. Then; you flop backwards and start making a snow angel. You can hear Papyrus walking over, looking down at you in mild confusion.  
  
"HUMAN, I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO MAKE A SNOWMAN. WHY ARE YOU ROLLING AROUND IN THE SNOW?"  
  
"It's a snow angel, Papyrus," sitting up, you lift your leg and roll over the side of your creation, trying to damage it as little as possible. "See? It has wings and everything."  
  
Papyrus studied your snow angel for a moment, then flopped on the other side of your snow angel and flung his arms around, his legs doing the part at least.  
You couldn't help the small smile that graced itself on your lips.  
  
"Papyrus, what are you doing?"  
  
"OBVIOUSLY I AM MAKING A SNOW PAPYRUS, SILLY HUMAN." As he talked to you, you could see his skeletal grin getting wider.  
This probably wasn't good.  
  
"AM I DOING IT CORRECTLY, HUMAN??" His flopping around was increasing dramatically. He looked like a mc'friggin' fish outta water!!  
You lifted your hands to your face and giggled softly, hiding behind your sleeves of your extra large flannel.  
  
All sound stopped.  
  
Peeking from behind your sleeve, you looked down at Papyrus. He looked.. both like he was the cat who caught the canary and very proud of you at the same time.  
Leaving your sleeved hand where it was; you look away from him; mildly irritated and even more-so flustered.  
  
"HUMAN, YOU HAVE A VERY NICE LAUGH." Increase blush by ten percent.  
  
"S-Shut up!! I do not!!"  
  
"IT IS SMALL AND RELATIVELY ADORABLE, LIKE YOU, SMALL HUMAN."  
  
"Oh, my god, Papyrus, I swear I'll-!!" You could hear the shuffling of snow, and as you continued to look away, you could see his shadow looming over you.  
  
"YOU WILL DO WHAT, SMALL HUMAN?" Naturally, you curl up into a ball on the ground; covering your head with your arms as you crouch in the snow. Your face feels too hot.  
You can also hear Papyrus snickering at you.  
  
"HUMAN, SINCE YOU HAVE CLEARLY LOST THIS FIGHT, I, THE GREAT-"  
Excuse me. 'Lost?'  
  
_'Aw, HELL no!'_ Quickly and without thinking, you pick up a handful of snow and manipulate the cold substance into a ball. Then, proceed the toss it at Papyrus..  
..and nail him directly in the nose.  
  
You see, it's almost comical. The snowball didn't crumple completely upon contact with his face made it seem like Papyrus had a slightly smaller, white version of a clown nose.  
You nearly burst out laughing.  
Instead this stupid grin stretches painfully across your face; and tears build in your eyes from the hilarity of it all.  
  
Papyrus, simply looked shocked. Then he narrowed his eye sockets at you.  
  
"HUMAN. PREPARE FOR WAR." And with that, he set about building a snow fort for himself; leaving you scrambling to keep up.  
  
Deciding to make yours near the corner of the house, you almost forget that Papyrus had a brother.  
Well, until you're lifted into the air and violent spun around to meet a pair of black eye sockets.  
  
"Papyrus. What is the human doing outside." At the sound of his brothers voice, Papyrus looked over with a small, guilty expression on his face, before it turned to concern seeing how Sans was glaring you down.  
  
"BECAUSE, BROTHER, THE HUMAN WANTED TO BUILD A SNOW MAN-" Sans turned his firey look on him, but toned it down about half.  
  
"So you let her outside so she can escape?! You aren't stupid, Papyrus! Can't you see what this brat is trying to do?" That stung a bit. Did he save you just to insult you?? You felt your soul sink a little.  
  
_'He's not wrong..'_  
  
Papyrus now had a firm expression across his face, and his hand had found their way to his hips.  
  
"BROTHER. THAT WAS VERY RUDE. APOLOGIZE TO THE HUMAN." Sans crossed his arms stubbornly.  
  
"Nah. Not until they're inside." Papyrus stood up, then leaned forward a bit and placed his hands (this time turned into fists) on his hips again.  
  
"BROTHER, DO NOT MAKE ME COME OVER THERE."  
  
"Papyrus, neither of us really wanna let the human off themselves, right? So why don't we take them inside-"  
  
"BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY WANTED TO MAKE A SNOW MAN. NOT ONCE HAVE I SEEN THEM MAKE ANY ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE; AND THEY HAVE IMPECCIBLE HOUSE MANNERS. THIS IS THE LEAST WE CAN DO FOR THEM!!" Sans sighed and rubbed a hand down his face.  
  
"Bro, I don't think you're seeing the bigger picture here.." Papyrus marched forward; standing directly in front of Sans, and they were both a few yards away from you. Sans had taken a few steps forward every other time he argued with his brother, and you were forgotten, despite how they were arguing about you.  
  
Suddenly, their argument heated up a bit; and they were getting in each others space and wildly gesturing. You felt the ground beneath your feet once more, and you didn't hesitate to take off in the other direction. There was a wolf to your right; and some rocks to your left as you raced by. You dared not look over your shoulder; less they were right behind you.  
  
You noticed a river, which marked a dead end and you skidded to a stop. You looked behind you in fear and seen..  
  
No one.  
  
There was no way in hell they were just going to let you go; but-  
  
"HUMAN!!"  
You don't hesitate to jump into the river. You didn't see him; but you know he knew that you were gone now.  
  
The river is freezing.  
As you struggle against the deceptively strong current on the calm surface of the water to keep your head up, you can feel your limbs lose feeling. A prickly sort of sensation is running through your fingers and toes.  
  
You notice you're going around a bend, and nearly scream as a giant block of ice almost makes a new home for itself on your face.  
Instead, your vocal cords are frozen as the ice splashes to the left of you; and you get the ridiculous idea to hang onto it.  
  
So you do.  
And you're losing body heat even faster now.  
You had held onto the side with your fingertips; forcing your chest and your forehead against the side. Now if you're lucky, you wouldn't tip over. This isn't exactly the best way to off yourself, you know??  
  
As you're holding onto the ice, you heard Papyrus' voice somewhere nearby. You're too cold to peek around the block of ice; all of your strength is being used to lock your fingers onto the upper edge. You can hear multiple voices now, and you're glad that, in the back of your mind, you notice them growing distant.  
That's.. nice..  
  
There's a tunnel that darkens your vision for a bit, it has to have been about seven-to-ten minutes, but you were dazing in and out of it. By the time you had been swept though, there was a large room, that split into many different tunnels. As the ice headed down a larger one, you seen land down a smaller, shorter tunnel.  
The question is.. could you swim there?  
  
You let go of the ice and fight the current; it's feels like it's twenty degrees warmer than when you first jumped in, and you pulled all of your strength together to make it. You notice you can touch the ground here, and the current is slower. Slowly, you crawl onto the ground and notice several platforms stretching into the water at strange angles. There's a group of plants over by the wall, on the other side of the water. And the last perception you notice about this room is that there appears to be a sign at the far end; but it seems to be surrounded by water so that no one can get to it.  
  
You shrug and move on, it's none of your business, you suppose.  
  
Walking through the doorway, you notice an intense need to sleep. Or rest. The ground _does_ look pretty comfortable. However, you know if you stop, then you'll be found. You need to find a place to rest first.. anywhere would be fine. So you struggle through the next few rooms, looking for something, somewhere to hide and rest a bit.  
  
Your feet catch on a few pebbles on the ground, and you go down pretty hard. Lifting your face from the floor and rubbing it; it feels sticky. You glance at your hand and notice a smear of blood. Looks like you scratched yourself. Glaring at the offending rocks, you push yourself back up and use the small adrenaline rush to stand and keep moving.  
  
It's when you're moving through another hallway that you notice a table with a crystal on it. You try to make out what's inside; but your vision is too blurry to see it. There's another thing, a shiny thing. Your first instinct is to touch it.  
  
So you touch it.  
  
Warmth, energy, and strength return to you in one powerful surge.  
  
*It's about time you touched one of those things. Does he have to do everything for you?  
  
You quickly spin around to find the source of the voice, and shriek when you see a small, floating, child apparatus next to you.  
The child looks surprised.  
And then furious.  
  
*Wait. Can you see me now?? It only took you _this long!!_  
You stare at them, frozen in place.  
  
They seem to grow more irritated.  
  
*Take a picture, it lasts longer.  
  
"Y.. you're.." you shake your head, "You've been following me..?"  
The small ghost child rolled their eyes.  
  
*I don't really get a choice. I'm attached to you. You landed on my grave.  
  
"Grave?? When?! I am sooo sorry!!" They wave you off.  
  
*Whatever, it happens in every run. I'm over it.  
  
"What do you mean, every run..?"  
  
*Multiverse theory. You wouldn't know of it, idiot.  
You look down.  
  
"Oh.."  
  
*So. You're running from the skele-trash? You might want to hurry up. I can guide you to a safe spot that Sans probably won't check you for.  
You nod, and let them lead. They lead you through many hallways, rooms, and tell you the solutions to puzzles.  
Except the piano puzzle. They were quite vehemently opposed to that one.  
  
Eventually, after you had passed another star (and bumped into a few monsters that you fled from), they bring you to a hallway with a door.  
  
"Open it."  
  
"Um, okay..?" You reach for the handle, but phase through it. "What?" The child sighed in exaggeration.  
  
*You have to grab it with your soul force, dummy.  
You stared at them.  
  
"I don't know? How??"  
They glared at you.  
  
*Focus on the door. Usually helps first timers to close their eyes and envision the (insert whatever here) in their mind. So think of the door in your mind.  
You do as they ask, and with a bit of difficulty, you manage to make a somewhat-accurate image in your head. You're reaching for the doorknob when it swings open in front of you.  
  
You open your eyes and take a step back, just to nearly trip over yourself as you find your hand is still holding onto the doorknob.  
The same doorknob you just previously weren't able to grasp.  
  
*What do you want, a cookie? Open the stupid door already!!  
You open the door, and you're met with the sight of a small room, and a familiar looking person.  
  
"H.. Hello..?" Said person doesn't feel threatening, but is still ominous either way. As you slowly walk in, you hear the ghost child pipe up just as the door slams shut and fades away.  
  
*Okay, brought you what you wanted. Where's my part of the bargain?  
The figure looked up, smiling (?) gently at you before turning its melted gaze to the ghost child.  
  
**Welcome to the Void. Chara, you have done well. You will be free of this human momentarily. In the meantime..** They turned it's gaze to you. **I am sorry for the grief my son's have caused you; however, know that it was for your own good.**  
  
You wanted to say something, probably profane, but he raised his hand.  
  
**There are others you can help while I help this Universe become more.. accommodating to your needs.** You really are about to tell him off this time, when his eyes.. glow.. just like the brothers did in your dream when they were pissed off (which makes you glad that it was just a dream and they can't actually wield magic like that.. that would have made it more difficult to escape them).  
  
You feel yourself falling. Everything is black, except the small hold above you that contains that gray room.  
The last thing you see is Chara staring down at your slowly dwindling form with disdain.  
  
**We will meet agai n s o o n . . .**  
  
And then you wake up.  
It's white. Everywhere. You don't feel anything. However.. you see two figures in the distance. You decide to stay kneeling on the ground and let them approach you, instead of doing any work.  
Your legs felt like jelly anyways.  
  
As the got closer, they both looked _exactly like Sans._ You scrunched your face up and threw your head back.  
  
_"FUCK."_ The more colorful one frowned.  
  
"Hey, language. The original Gaster sent you here, right? You must be Y/n. I'm Ink. Welcome to the home of the Multiverse."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confused yet? Good! That's how the reader is supposed to feel.


	10. Does It Always Have To Be A Sans?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, have this overdue piece of trash. ***dumps it on all of your laps, then walks out for the next millennia***

Two skeletons. And they both look exactly like that asshat, Sans. How could this have happened to you? Sighing dramatically, you lean forward into a little ball; your chest resting on your thighs as your calves were knelt on the floor. You bring up your hands to cradle your face, and run them through your short hair in exasperation.

You were just so done with this shit, for real.  
You can't even die.  
What the hell.

And then these two.. skeletons just.. give you such a hard time.  
Don't even get started on how you even got to this endless expanse of white. For goodness sake's; it's like you're lost in a blizzard or something.  
..but it's not cold?

Sitting back up you realize two things. One; the two new twin skeletons have decided to give you some quiet time. Brownie points for them.  
Two..

It's not cold here. It's not hot, either.. it's.. nothing? Deciding nothing can make you look any worse than _however_ the hell you got here, you reach out and wave one of your arms around.  
Nothing. Not even a breeze to tell your sensory nerves that you are, in fact, moving your arm.

You hear whispering.  
Looking over, you see the black (you distantly wonder if that's racist before you banish the thought from your mind with the power of how little fucks you give) skeleton leaning towards the one with paint on his face. Maybe it's tar.. why not. _'Tarface sounds like a pretty legit name. Or maybe it's in-'_ You froze. Well, that explained his name..  
As the black skeleton noticed you watching him, the soft noise stopped. Ink looked at you as well, and gave you a smile you were beginning to think is a basically standard 'Sans' patented smile.

"Well, uh.. you must be pretty confused, right? We are too, honestly. See, you come from one of the main timelines; kinda like an off-branch.. anyways, while you aren't core version of Frisk-the main Frisk, I mean-you seem to have replaced their role. This isn't unusual in or of itself; it happens often with our creators. However.. I do have to ask. How did you get to the Underground? All the data tells about you is that you fell, obviously, like every other human-"

"Shut up. You know this glitch isn't gonna understand you."  
Ink stared at his companion with a displeased look across his face.

"They might understand if we put it into laymans terms."

"As if. Look at them! The glitches face is a blank as a brick wall. Besides; they can't stay in the Anti-Void."

"Error; there is no need to be rude-" Error scoffed.  
"I'm never anything but rude, remember?"  
"This isn't the time for this, Error!"  
"It's never the time for anything; because there's only one AU that should be-"  
"Error if you start this argument right now so help me-"  
"I say we just destroy this glitch and call it a day-"  
"We are not destroying-!"

"HEY!" After several times of calling out (you couldn't even hear your own voice over the sound of their shouting) you screamed at the top of your lungs.  
They both turned to you, one looking surprised and the other just looking mildly irritated that you dare talk to him. Ink turned back to Error after a moment.

"You can't destroy her."  
Error turned to Ink with a look mixed between insane and grumpy af.

"Why not??"

"Do you want to deal with the main version of Gaster?"  
That caused Error to pause; all expression wiped off his face except reluctance. There were many beings Error was willing to mess with (kill); but generally he avoided the Void if he could help it.  
Ink turned back to you; and depite being completely ignored just a moment ago, he seems perplexed enough to make you consider dropping the idea of verbally tearing into him for ignoring you. Even if you didn't really know what to ask first.

"So, uh, sorry about that." He chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his skull. "Say, how about we drop you off in an AU you can provide some assistance to? You might end up having a brighter outlook on-"

"Nope. The way you're talking; I'm going to immediately hate this 'AU' place." You crossed your arms. You were not dealing with their shenanigans today.. or tonight. You get the feeling that time isn't affected in this.. place. Anti-Void, they called it?  
Ink sighed, rubbing his partially-gloved hand down his face, muttering how you're as stubborn as 'Red'. You raised an eyebrow at this, but pretended not to hear for the simple fact that you could care less what he thought of you at the moment.

"Look; we need a place to put you. You have the risk of disappearing forever if you-" He held up a hand just in time to cut you off. "-I know that's what you want; but your universe-your AU-would fall apart without it's interpretation of Frisk. There is now a version of you in multiple different AU's already; where you help so many monsters, despite your depression." You visably bristled at his comment; and his expression softened to a gentle smile in your direction. "Did you think we didn't know? The data tells us everything."

"The voices tell me everything. You don't know shit." Error piped up.  
There was a sharp look from Ink.

"Just saying." Error shrugged.  
Ink sighed, rubbed where his temple would be, and continued.

"We basically know everything about every AU-or alternate Universe-that exists. Though occassionally we find one that hasn't been discovered yet. Now.. I can give you several different options of where you would like to go, but you can't leave that AU until certain.. requirements, per say, have been met."  
You gave him a cautious look.

"..like what?"  
Ink doesn't seem surprised you asked, and instead pulls up what looks like windows of your world, but everything was.. off.

"Such as Underswap.. an AU where Papyrus' personality is swapped with Sans. Alphys with Undyne's, and so on."

"So.. everything is backwards..?"  
Ink shrugged.

"I think that's a matter of perspective."  
Error snorted, but said nothing.

"Okay. Fine. Do you have an AU where it's less.. sugary sweet and more, I don't know, realistic?"  
Error grinned at this, side-glancing Ink; who immediately frowned at his companion.

"We are not sending her to Horrortale."

"What about Underfell?"  
"No!"

"What's Underfell?"  
Error smiled at you; but not one that made you feel any bit even _remotely_ okay with it.  
Ink stepped inbetween you both, arms out to stop the discussion.

"It doesn't matter; because you're not going!" Going back to Error, he continued. "No dangerous AU's. We can't risk losing her. It would collapse several other AU's and counting."

"Maybe I want to help those in Underfell."  
Ink turned to give you a _very disapproving_ look; while Error let out a bark of strange laughter that caused Ink to give Error the same look not even a moment later.

"You. Be quiet." Ink returned his gaze to you, pointing in a way that said he had reached his limit of patience between you and Error. "And you. Be glad I'm not sending you to Tickletale." That.. _that_ caught your attention, and you immediately snapped your mouth shut. He smirked. "That's what I thought."  
Error looked bored.

"So then.. where are we sending the glitch?"  
Ink thought for a moment, then pulled up several windows, closing the ones he had before.

"Well, we could send her to Haventale-"  
Error immediately erradicated this window, much to Ink's displeasure.

"We are not sending her to an AU where nothing ever goes wrong. She'll _find_ something and make it go wrong. She'll be the reason it goes wrong. Your own logic is against you, stupid."  
Ink frowned.

"There's nothing wrong with offering her an option to a place that would keep her safe. And it's relatively stress free."

"And I'm sure the native Sans there would love to house another one of the Universe's rejects." Ink sighed, then moved on.

"Fine, then we could send her to Underswap. They could always use more help with their Frisk."

"Wouldn't the Underswap version of her like to kill people?"  
Ink growled, then moved along.

"How about Magmatale?"

"Where everything is on fire; good idea!" Error gave Ink a sarcatically cheerful response, and Ink was done with his sass.

"If my ideas aren't good enough, feel free-"

"Buttontale; for one. She _might_ actually have a use. You wouldn't let her go to Yanderetale.. I try to avoid it; much less her?? She wouldn't survive."  
Ink considered this.

"Where else? She might meet the requirements of that Universe.."

"Then there's Swapfell-"  
"No dangerous AU's!"  
Error threw his hands up, "You know Swapfell isn't as dangerous as Underfell!"  
Ink chuckled lowly, "Tell that to the others when you get back to the mansion."  
Error sighed, then continued.

"Dancetale. Mafiatale-" Ink gave Error a _very sharp_ look, "-okay, Dancetale, anyways. Not like she wouldn't be safe in Mafiatale, but whatever.."  
Ink rolled his boney hand in a gesture that told him to keep going, and Error shrugged in return.

"There's Sielutale."  
Ink paused, looking like he was actually considering this.

"..that one might work. But I don't think Seriff would like babysitting."  
Error shrugged.

"Seriff doesn't like a lot of things. He could deal with another."  
Ink was about to reply, when a new voice was heard.

"Yo, brosophs!! What's the dealio??"  
Both Error and Ink froze; horror quickly growing over their faces.

"You were supposed to find out what the wiggity-wack that cray-cray surge was that was rippin' apart the barrier between the Void and the Anti-Void!" Ink was the first to act; opening a portal (it looked different from a what you had dubbed a window; the edges of the window were smoother. The portal seemed.. almost fluidly moving.. somehow). After noting this, you turned to find the source of the new voice. And, uh.. you just kinda stared at it as it was skating towards you.

You have never seen anything so..  
..erm, colorful??  
"What. The _fresh._ " You looked mildly disturbed. That wasn't.. you didn't intend to say..  
Suddenly; you find strings around your soul (when did that come out?), and as they grew taunt; you see the portal that Ink had opened speeding towards you.

And you were gone.

"Broskies; who was the flyin' dudette with the very unfresh lingo?"  
Both skeletons answered in unsion.

"No one."  
Fresh wasn't satisfied with this answer.. and they all knew he had every intention of finding out what they were hiding.

And that made the other two want to keep it from him that much more.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Everything was cold. Why does the start always have to be in the _fucking_ cold.  
You had been thrown in at high velocity, face down in the snow.  
Everything hurt. You didn't want to move. In fact; you had no intention of moving.  
Ever.

You could hear footsteps; the tell-tale sound of crunching snow. You groaned; silently cursing fate for not being more kind to you.

"OH, ARE YOU OKAY??" You didn't bother looking up. You didn't even care who was there. Sounded like Papyrus.. but, off..  
Maybe, if you were really quiet, they would go away and let you die in peace. Maybe they thought you were already dead.

No such luck.

"UM? HUMAN??"  
Silence.

"H..Human.. NO! I WON'T LET YOU FALL DOWN!!" The watery voice cried out, being filled with.. something unfamiliar. You feel movement; and realizing a tiny pair of hands are picking you up. Scooping you up and tossing you over their shoulder (not unlike a sack of potatoes); you decide to risk taking a peek at who was the Papyrus-not-Papyrus.  
And were met with a wall of white feathers, feeling a few of them brush against your face, they were incredibly soft..

Jerking your head back from the offending softness; you realize your mistake a bit too late.  
"H-HUMAN?! YOU'RE ALIVE! DON'T WORRY; I'LL HELP YOU GET BACK TO FULL HEALTH!!" You thought you heard him say _'Mwe-_

"PAPYRUS!! LOOK! I FOUND A HUMAN!!"  
Wait. _This_ monster carrying you _wasn't Papyrus??_ You immediately close your eyes, more than willing to play dead at this point.

"Hm? Cool, bro. But, uh, why are you carrying them though?"

"BECAUSE!! THEY WERE OUT IN THE SNOW, AND NON-RESPONSIVE!! I THINK I ACCIDENTALLY WOKE THEM UP FROM THE TRIP OVER HERE.." There was a pause, as regret started to become palpable in the air. Then, as soon as it was there, it was gone. "BUT I, THE SANSATIONAL SANS, WILL NURSE THEM BACK TO HEALTH!! MWEH HEH HEH!!" And with that you were moving again, not that you could see much with your eyes closed. Though you had to say; being jostled around with your eyes shut made for a very nausiating experience.  
As he ran, you let it occur to you that he said 'Sans.' As in, the boney little asshole that always seemed to be the number one pain in your side. If this was really Sans.. then you would have to figure out an escape plan. The last time you tried to escape didn't work so well. You would actually have to think of a way to leave the AU; as well as their clutches.  
You brielfly wondered if it would always be a constant that you would end up getting kidnapped by a Sans.

..wait.

How the _fuck_ were you supposed to leave when you didn't know the requirements?!  
You groan; and 'Sans' takes this as a sign that you're getting worse.

"DON'T WORRY HUMAN!! WE ARE ALMOST TO MY AMAZING HOME!!" Almost immediately after you hear him say that, he leaps up something in two jumps; and comes to a sudden stop that almost makes you go flying, if he didn't have an iron grip on your waist.  
A sharp, clicking sound makes itself known, and suddenly you're both inside, door closed. Much to your relief, you find yourself carried at a much slower pace; and plopped down on the familiar sofa. You curl into a ball immediately to quell your queasy insides; and as you feel something soft draped over your body, you open your eyes a bit.

"DON'T WORRY, HUMAN. I WILL MAKE YOU SOME TACOS!! TACOS MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER!!" The way he smiled so brightly at you, felt like a thousand suns.. it was.. nice.  
Not that you'd ever admit that, of course.

He stopped vibrating in place; only to suddenly vault over the couch and into the kitchen, his baby blue eyes blown like he was on crack. You completely ignored the stars in them; sure you were hallucinating. He's still a, ugh, _Sans,_ after all.  
You sighed softly, and let yourself ponder your new.. situation..

This was a thing.  
This was a thing that was happening.

A thought suddenly made itself known to you.  
..what were those feathers..? Sitting up, slowly, as to not disturb your slowly calming guts, you peek over the back of the couch and into where you knew the kitchen to be. Sure enough; Sans had feathers. Attached to wings. Overly puffy, extremely soft looking white wings that were nearly as big as he was.

"He's pretty cute, isn't he?"  
You take in a sharp breath as spin around; Papyrus (?) sitting on the coffee table in front of you.

This isn't Papyrus.  
He had horns.. orange horns..  
His canines were more pronounced.  
And his wings were.. not feathery..  
..  
..is that a tail..?

"Like what you see?" 'Papyrus' smirked at you.

"..perhaps. I've always been drawn to _horny_ guys."  
What have you done. Where was your filter.  
_Why did this happen._

'Papyrus' froze; his face turning a dusted orange color. Then he started snickering quietly to himself.  
"Wow. That was.. that was-"  
You waved him off.

"Pretty bad; I know. I'm sorry, I would say I don't usually say stupid shit, but that's actually the story of my life. Sorry." You looked away. The Anit-Void sounded amazing right now.  
Papyrus looked at you. He seemed.. distant for a moment, before he shook his head.

"You're not our Chara, are you?"

"What was your first clue?"  
He gave you a look for your sarcasm, but didn't persue it as he wrinkled his 'nose' (seriously you're just gonna start calling every thing bone. Like 'nose-bone;' it's way easier).

"You smell like Ink.. and you smell like.."  
Suddenly; you felt immense magic surge dangerously throughout the room. You turn back to it's source looking nonplussed; and realize he is now centimeters from your face.

"Why do you smell like **E r r o r . . ?** " Papyrus growled out the last word; like it was some kind of plauge.  
You took a moment to think out your answer.

"Well, my Gaster booted me out of my own 'universe,'" you made air quotes to go along with this, "and the place I ended up was the.. Anti-Void..? I dunno for sure. Ink and Error found me; and were trying to find me a new home or something equally stupid."  
Papyrus took this all in. His magic slowly starting to repress as he realized that you had been forced here more than you had come willingly. You couldn't tell if he believed you or not.

"And you're not going to destroy our universe?" You gave him an 'are you serious' look.

"No. I'm a pretty bitchy person; but I'm not that bad." Papyrus stared into your face for a moment, then nodded, leaning back.

"Alright. But we still gotta find a way to get you out of my universe. It's not that I don't believe you, but-"

"You don't want me to fuck anything up. I get it. ..I hate it when I fuck things up, too." You bury your face into your knees, feeling done with the coversation. What did it matter if they knew what a terrible person you were? The faster they would help you leave their AU; and the sooner you were out of their hair (or lack thereof). You've had such a shitty day; you just didn't.. you didn't care. You had _zero fucks_ to give. After you left their AU; it's not like you would ever see them again anyways.

Papyrus paused; then he stood up, and before walking off, he added in a low tone, "As long as you don't hurt my brother; you can stay for a bit. The only reason you're still here is because he's looking out for you." Looks like he was pretty done with the conversation as well.  
You could hear him walk into the kitchen, and unfurled to try and hear their quiet murmering (and loud pots and pans doing whatever Sans was having them do); you didn't catch anything. Your hearing isn't all that great. You decide to clean your glasses, and after a few minutes, Sans came out with three plates filled with tacos.. and glitter.. and.. something you couldn't identify, for the life of you.  
Sans gently placed a plate on your lap; one in front of Papyrus' spot; and took the last plate for himself.

Papyrus came out with two bottles of honey moments later; plopping down on the couch beside you and offering you one quietly.

You only stared at it.

"Do.. am I.." you struggled for a second, much to your chargrin. "..on tacos..?"  
Papyrus snickered at your expense; while Sans just caught on to his brother.

"PAPYRUS!! DO NOT TRY TO FEED THE HUMAN YOUR UNHEALTHY FOOD HABBITS!!"

"C'mon bro; thought they might be thirsty. I'm trying to be _sweet."_ He took a drink from his bottle, and grinned devilishly at you as the lights flickered on; you realizing he was offering you a _drink._  
You narrowed your eyes at him as you snatched the bottle he offered; his smug grin still in place.  
You'd have to do something about that.

You stare him dead in the eye as you tilt your head back, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm _always_ thirsty." The way he choked on his honey as you took a big swallow of your own was priceless.  
Papyrus waved Sans away as he jumped from his seat to make sure his brother was alright; Papyrus a deep orange color as he coughed, and Sans started lecturing him on how this is what happens when you drink unhealthy foods, and how they're dangerous, and blah blah blah...

You just lean back into the couch and take another victory sip of honey.  
_That_ was worth it.


	11. Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for multiple Points of View.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriff is ShadowFoxDemon27's child. He's.. interesting.  
> Interesting Sans. I'm going to borrow him for my plot.
> 
> Also: you can thank ShadowfoxDemon27 and UltimateGamer101 for inspiring the next three chapters (including this one).

_'Well, this stinks.'_ Ink thought to himself as he spotted a very, very brief look cross over Fresh's skull. He only caught it because, naturally, as a Sans himself; he felt it all too often when he wanted to find out something that may be potentially dangerous.

Fresh had determination cross his face.  
_'Ugh; this is gonna be fun,'_ Ink thought to himself a bit bitterly. Ink couldn't-and if he had his way, wouldn't-let Fresh find out about the human.  
Surely Gaster had a good reason to send her to the multiverse..

"-away!!" Error screamed, his strings slashing wildly through the air as he tried to ensnare the 80's trash version of Sans. The blue, nearly invisible threads followed the moves of their masters arms. However; with the use of his Heely's (on his skateboard, no less), Fresh easily maneuvered out of the way each time, not even coming close to getting hit..which only served to infuriate the Destroyer more.

"Yo broseph! I'm only here to chill with our newest friendo! Whaz got your strings all up in knots?? Didn't _like_ her?" Fresh ducked down and dodged again; very nearly doing the splits as he dropped to the ground. One skeletal hand supported his weight on the ground near his chest, and the other was suspended out in the air next to him to help his balance.  
Or maybe he was showing off. Nevertheless, the strings that had been aiming for his face missed their target; his soul rested untouched behind his glasses.

"I am literally gonna end you!!" Error screamed in fury.

"Is there any other way to end someone, broseph??" Fresh wasn't even scared as he ducked down once more, dodging to his left and nearly losing his hat in the process. Infuriated screaming was his immediate response, not even intelligible words anymore. Just.. anger, and fury, and irritation.

Ink sighed, thinking that this would take quite some time to sort through. He himself didn't even know where-

Oh.  
Oh _no._

Ink turned to Error with a look of absolute horror on his face, arms slightly out to his sides in a comical way that made the rest of his body seem like he was about to pull a 1970's old western draw. Error, of course, didn't pay attention.

But Fresh did.

"Oh, buddy, you didn't lose our new pal already, did you?" Ink sighed and slapped his own face so hard that it would probably leave a mark. Of course. Of course it would work out like this. Error halted in his tracks; slowly turning to face Ink with a look of sheer and utter disbelief as the latter removed his hand.

"Ink. Where did we send her?" Ink looked away nervously.

"I.. don't know..?" Error stared at him for a long, long minute.

"You have got to be _fudgin'_ kidding me."  
Fresh gave Error a look of brief disapproval, then quickly reverted back to his over-enthusiastic expression.

"Well, I just wanted to know if you bros knew what was the deal here," he shrugged, "You fly dawgs don't, so I'm outtie."  
Taking an innocent step backwards, he all but rushed into a portal into who knows what universe. Which meant Fresh had started searching.  
Which meant they had to start searching too.

Ink and Error glanced at each other, and Error made a face of disgust.  
"Fuck."

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Meanwhile, while you were.. wherever it was that you were, there had been some ground rules laid out by the Papyrus there. Sans had too: he had given you a long list of rules of paper while also reading them out loud (you wondered if he had actually taken the time to memorized these), while you read along, out of sheer polit-er, having had nothing else to do.

Papyrus, however, had been much more subtle. His rules had been few, yet much more strict. He had told you while Sans had been out training (he got out of it so he could watch you and make sure you got 'better;' even though both you and Papyrus knew you wouldn't hurt. It didn't stop Sans' happy attitude about his brother caring for something, then lecturing his brother about taking better care of you than his pet rock).  
His rules were as followed:  
-Don't hurt his brother (which he already told you before, but you guessed he felt he needed to remind you)  
-Don't leave the house  
-Don't be seen  
-Do _not_ fucking leave the house  
-If you needed something, ask him first. His brother would be noticed if he were late for something while trying to help you; whereas it was normal for Papyrus.. you guessed that rule was pretty fair.

Along the way of the rules, Papyrus had mentioned that he would talk to his brother about not telling other monsters that they were taking care of a human; and it was only until you could get back to your universe.  
That's where you find yourself stuck, sitting on one side of the couch while he was on the other. Papyrus splayed out (admittedly looking really comfortable, despite your presence) while you were curled into a ball, socked feet on the couch cushion and arms around your legs.

"Wait, so, your brother knows about the other universes?? Isn't- aren't you like.." You paused; trying to explain using proper English, "..trying to keep him save and naïve or whatever??" You can tell that the only reason that Papyrus isn't currently kabobbing you right now is because your genuinely curious face. Otherwise; he did seem a bit irritated about that particular comment.  
How can you tell??  
His tail slashed back and forth near the floor; and if he's anything like a cat-which, honestly; sometimes he kinda acted like one (a little bit, anyways)-gave his emotions away. His face showed nothing but a somewhat false hint of amusement.  
That _might_ have given it away.  
Maybe _just a bit._

"Well, originally I had planned to. But he's a Sans; so I had to. Most of the Sans' are.. like me. Or maybe I'm like them," he shrugs, "I don't really have the full gist of it yet. Only been to the Anti-Void home twice." You gave him a skeptical look.

"Aaaand you didn't ask questions..?"

"Nah," he shrugged again, taking a drag of his cigarette, "It's more like they didn't quite trust me," he gave the wall to his left a sly, dark-humored grin, "Can't imagine why."

Okay, the sarcasm was kinda new, but refreshing. In a place where every(skeleton)one had been nothing but 'concerned' for you; it was nice to find someone who didn't give a rats ass about anything.  
Just like you.

You made a sound of.. not content. Perhaps an understanding sound. Perhaps of pity. You don't really know. It was a low hum of acknowledgement, you suppose, somewhere in the back of your throat.

It was quiet for a while. You weren't sure how long; but several thoughts had passed through your head at a lazy, sluggish speed before Papyrus spoke again.

"My turn," he takes another long inhale of his cigarette; and you can see his chest raise a bit as his takes a breath he didn't need, "What's wrong with your soul?"

Okay then. This was happening. However, instead of feeling nervous talking about yourself (and more importantly, a part of you that you didn't understand); you felt.. calm. This Papyrus is so.. so akin to you; at least right now, in this moment, that you feel like you can relate to him better than anyone else you've ever met.. for now. So you shrug and tell him.

"Dunno. Never got around to finding out in my own universe." There. Not an entire lie. Not exactly what you believed was true, but.. _'What you believe doesn't matter. Your thoughts don't matter, stupid.'_  
You don't notice him studying your face until he speaks, and by then he's closed his eyes and had leaned back into his side of the couch again.

"Join the club, kid. Rotten life, amIright?" You nodded minutely, once again resting your head on your knees.

Another long pause permeated the room, and you felt like he was about to leave when he spoke up again.

"Look, I don't know what your life is like, and honestly.. I don't really care. But I'm not stupid. If you need something to make it easier while you stay here.. just ask. I may be a monster, but I'm not an entire dick."  
You looked him dead in the eye. He narrowed his eye sockets at you; immediately knowing you gonna say something he would regret.

"I don't think you even know what that is."  
Papyrus groaned; a heavy sigh coming from him while he threw his head over the back of the couch and rubbed the hand not holding his cigarette down his face.

"I knew it. I knew you would say something like that and I risked it anyways."

"I guess I proved you right," pause, "You're wel- _come._ "

"I am going to kill you."

"What? I thought you were always ho-"  
"That is the second time you used that one; at least find better sex jokes." You narrow your eyes mock dangerously.

"Are you saying my sex jokes aren't good enough?"

"I'm saying you better not use them around my brother." You shook your head in agreement.

"Never." Papyrus eyed you a bit before he nodded, regarding you seriously.

"Good."

"I know I am."

"I am _going_ to kill you."

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Fresh was looking through Mafiatale, currently. He knew to keep his head down while browsing around here for any sign of you-the last time he was here; he had colored most monster's clothing in his own fresh, fun style while they were sleeping.  
They didn't like it very much.

Especially not Toriel.  
Fresh shuddered, remembering her mildly terrifying features..

A trash can fell over not too far away; and Fresh ducked further behind the pile of trash he was hiding behind, careful not to be caught. He was beginning to wonder if Ink would have sent you here; because you were probably an important part of the multiverse if you got sent to the Anti-Void.  
Maybe.  
..most likely, if he was being honest with himself.

Admittedly, if he was also being honest in general; he wanted to know if you had magic.  
He had met several other humans (and, well, human-not-humans) that could wield magic, and he knew better than to mess with them.  
Although that kiss from a certain Rose was nice.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts; Fresh glanced around the ally again. The can that had fallen over had fallen because of a drunkard, who was unconscious. They weren't a monster Fresh was familiar with, so he let their brief profile slip from his mind. He slowly stood, careful not to use magic and notify others that he was here.  
His shortcuts weren't very.. subtle. Even Fresh knew that. Usually he didn't care; but in this universe, he knew it could literally be life or death.

Fresh sighed. He had been searching this place for three hours; and had already checked the home of his native self, all three labs, and most of the palace.  
_'She isn't here,'_ Fresh decided, not about to give up just yet, _'Might as well check Haventale.'_

After a small light cut into the darkness, a small doorway was made.  
And Fresh was gone.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 _'Of all the places to lose her.. seriously where could she be?!'_ Ink thought to himself angrily as he finished checking Underfell. He knew something about the AU door he had opened for you was dangerous, but it wasn't like the feeling of pure malice he got when he opened a door to Horrortale, or Yanderetale.. he shuddered at the last thought.

Ink and Error had separated; searching for you individually. Error was searching in Outertale, and now Ink was returning to the mansion to gather if the others had found you. Hopefully not.  
Hopefully they didn't know you existed yet. Wouldn't that be nice. Ink didn't have the time to explain you to them yet, so he didn't want them to kill you, and ultimately thirty-eight other versions of themselves and counting.

As Ink opened the door, he prepared himself to be bombarded with questions about what he found..  
And found no one but Seriff and Edge. Ink spotted Edge first (who wouldn't when he was pacing like that, throwing his arms around angrily while Seriff only half-listened), lecturing the Aussie why he was too young to have a 'COPIOUS AMOUNT OF CAFFINE; AND I DON'T CARE HOW TALL YOU ARE!! YOU'RE STILL ONE OF THE YOUNGEST VERIONS OF SANS,' and Seriff was just kinda sitting there taking it. Or more accurately; playing his hand-held game while completely ignoring the edge-lord.

"'Sup Ink," Seriff spoke. Ink had been going to respond when Edge interjected.

"DO NOT 'SUP' THE RAINBOW-INDUCED, FREAK VERSION OF MY BROTHER!!" Somehow, that was both insulting and hilarious to Ink; and he struggled not to crack a grin before throwing in his own question. He completely chose to ignore the insult, knowing it wouldn't get him anywhere.

"Um, guys, where is everyone?"  
Serif looked about to say something, and was promptly cut off.

"YOU WERE TAKING A GOD-AWFUL AMOUNT OF TIME, SO THEY DECIDED TO GO LOOK FOR THEMSELVES. I VOLUNTEERED, OF COURSE; BUT SOMEONE HAS TO MAKE SURE THAT _SOMEONE_ STAYS WHERE THEY BELONG." Edge made this very obvious by fixing a pointed glare at Seriff; who rolled his eyes and mumbled how it was stupid he was grounded for a stupid reason, and all the stupid stuff around him. There was a large bit of swearing, of course, but Ink didn't support the choice words.  
The youngest Sans there mainly spoke these things about Edge; who had gracefully decided to ignore him (or perhaps he didn't hear him over his own ridiculously loud voice) as he turned his attention back to Ink.

"AS FOR YOU; YOU LAZY EXCUSE FOR A FUCKING SKELETON!! WHY AREN'T YOU OUT THERE LOOKING FOR THE DISRUPTION?!! YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE NO INFORMATION REGARDING IT. GO LOOK FOR IT!!" Edge was putting out orders again; stomping his boot and pointing to the front door.  
Ink sighed and went back out. He didn't want to fight Edge (again), so he just went on his way, closing the door behind him and deciding to open a door to a different universe.  
"Well.. Beasttale probably hasn't been checked yet."

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Seriff had had about enough of Edge's ranting.  
He knew how to fix the problem. It was just a waiting game. At 6:30 every night, one of the Papyrus equivalents' would make dinner..  
..and Edge was the only one home.

It was now 6:47.  
Seriff thought that the time was right.

"Ugh, what time is it?" He threw his skull back before making a dramatic display of getting up, so he could look at the kitchen clock. Edge's skull snapped towards the kitchen; he sockets locking onto the clock before Seriff had even started to get up.

"IT WOULD SEEM THAT MY LECTURE HAD RUN A SMALL FRACTION INTO THE TIME FOR DINNER PREPARATION. TONIGHT IS RAZZ'S TURN TO COOK; BUT THAT LITTLE SHIT HAS ABANDONED HIS DUTIES TO SEARCH FOR AND DESTROY THE DISRUPTION. IN ANY CASE; I SUPPOSE I, THE TERRIBLE PAPYRUS, WILL HAVE TO MAKE DINNER!!" After less than a few shrill, loud nyeh's that were supposed to sound terrifying (but mostly just left Seriff with a headache), Edge rushed into the kitchen; the loud sounds of pots and pans more frequent than usual due to Edge trying to make up for lost time.  
From the kitchen, Edge shouted one more thing.

"IF YOU LEAVE THIS HOUSE WHILE I'M MAKING DINNER; YOU _WILL_ FACE SEVERE PUNISHMENT."  
The only thing that told Seriff was that he should make note not to be caught for a while when he got back.

"Finally.." At Edge's departure, Seriff sunk lower into his seat; basking in the not-quite-silence-but-not-Edge-screaming-at-him when he got an idea.  
He would help the others find the disruption.  
Or, he _could_.. stopping to think about it briefly while eyeing his game (he was almost to the end for a second time, after all); he nodded to himself that, yes, he could. Mainly because he had nothing better to do, and secondly because he wanted to get out of this suffocating building. It might be a mansion, and it might be huge; but once you knew the place like Seriff had gotten to know it.. well, it's just not that great.

Opening a shortcut at random in the shadows of the corner; he walked into it and practically melted into the shadows before he vanished, not really caring where he ended up.

Who knew it would be the universe you were in.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

You were having the time of your life (well, taking in the fact that most of your life was shit); needling Papyrus until Sans got back from training. All the fun seemed to dissipate. After all-you had agreed not to use sex jokes around his brother.  
Sans had just got back from sentry duty, and looked confused for a moment after he had closed the door behind him. He noticed the atmosphere, but didn't say anything since you looked pleased, and Papyrus looked amused (though his face said he looked irritated).  
Then again; he could always tell his brother's emotions better than others.

"PAPY!! I SEE YOU TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF THE HUMAN!! I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!! MWEH!!" Papyrus smiled genuinely; and you looked between the two as Sans was bouncing on his tiny little feet, feathers and little blue cape slightly jostling in a not-there wind. Papyrus just chuckled at him.

"Wasn't hard, bro. Feed 'em, bath 'em-" Your head snapped back to him so quickly you were surprised you didn't get whiplash.  
"You did _not_ bath me."

"PAPYRUS!! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO MAKE SURE THEY GOT CLEAN!!" A loud, overly-dramatic sigh escaped the small skeleton. "NOW I WILL HAVE TO DO IT, I SUPPOSE. HUMAN!! COME ALONG!!"

..oh. He had been.. doing you a solid until you opened your big mouth. Papyrus seen your look of shock (mixed with horror) and smirked. Sans had already ran up the stairs, but after quickly rummaging through one of the closets; he came back down (more slowly-he was having a difficult time seeing his path over the fluffy white towel that looked about as big as him).

"Go on, kid. After the day you've given me; I really think you need to _clean up_ your act."  
"PAPYRUS!!"  
"Brace yourself though; 'cuz you're in for a _bath time._ "  
" _PAPYRUS!!_ " Papyrus chuckled and leaned back into his chair, snickering before puffing on his cigarette. You narrowed your eyes, wondering, '..how long has he had that one cigarette?'  
"Relax bro; I'm just having some good, _clean fun._ " He winked at you as Sans groaned loudly.

"You used that one twice," you pointed out as unhelpfully as you could. Papyrus only narrowed his sockets before he grinned ferally at you.

"'d like to see you do better." You froze. Coming up with jokes and/or puns on the spot was.. not your calling. You could only use what you've heard or tried before. You weren't.. creative enough to..

Sensing your hesitation; Papyrus winked at you again, infuriatingly. He knew. You didn't know how he knew; but you knew he knew.  
..wow, that hurt your brain. You had taken a moment to mull over if you had thought that out in a grammatically correct fashion.

"Wow kid; I almost hate to _drop_ this on you, but _water_ you thinking? Is it that hard to come up with a-" He stopped, thinking he had fallen into a trap that you set; while you only grinned until tears came to your eyes from trying not to burst out laughing. "..clever move, kid."

Sans, who had perfectly understood the innuendo, but for the sake of his brother pretended not to, let it slip by. "HUMAN!! COME ON-YOU NEED TO BE CLEANED, OR ELSE YOU WON'T FEEL AT YOUR BEST!!"

While you were very reluctant to be anywhere near a version of Papyrus (they are a lot more threatening when you were alone with them), you nervously glanced to Papyrus.  
The look that dawned over his face as he realized _how_ nervous and awkward his brother made you.. well, he looked entirely too pleased as he processed this information; and also looked like he was going to chose to be decidedly unhelpful.

"Go on kid; he won't bite." You glared at the way he smirked at you; obviously enjoying the way you were squirming (both metaphorically and physically).  
Sans looked between the two of you, suspicion written all over his face.

"HUMAN, I AM NOT SURE ASKING MY BROTHER TO HELP YOU GET CLEAN WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA."  
Hahaha- _NO._ You quickly stand, avoiding any and all eye contact with Papyrus; who seemed to be doing the same, and piece your way over to Sans, who tugged you into the bathroom and closed the door.

You immediately started fidgeting. You didn't want him.. he was the older brother.. this was.. you didn't want..!  
Sensing your fear, Sans had set himself over on the side of the tub, letting the water fill the large, rounded bin and squirting an ungodly amount of bubble bath into the plastic-maybe porcelain?-tub.

"DON'T WORRY, HUMAN, I MAKE THE BEST BATHS. ASK PAPY!!" He gave you that megawatt grin he had just used on his brother, and your non-existent heart melted a bit, but your muscle tension remained.

Sans noticed this. He would have to try another way to help you relax. He wanted you to trust him, like you trusted his brother. Everyone always trusts his brother with important things before they ask him.. He shook his skull of those negative thoughts; determined to help you.

"THE TUB IS EXTRA-LARGE TO LET US STRETCH OUR WINGS IN THE WARM WATER.. IT'S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.." He sighs happily at the thought, suddenly wanting to crawl into the bath himself; but he knew you hadn't had a bath since you got here, and who knows since before.

As the tub filled; the mountain of bubbles grew. Soon, they were taller than your waist (about Sans' shoulder height), and you briefly wondered if you would be able to breathe. Sans finally turned off the water, noticing you taking a step back and clutching at the bottom of your flannel. Which, he noted, was in an absolute need of a bath itself, but that could wait until after you got into the tub. Sans had been about to stand, but stopped moving as you paused near the wall on the other side of the bathroom.

"..human. I won't hurt you. I just need to make sure you get a bath. I.." He takes a breath, and forces himself to continue, "It isn't healthy to be unclean for a long time; and I had already found you in the snow and I want to make sure you're okay because I was really worried and..!"

..so it wasn't that he was a pervert like your older brother ( _it was your own fault though_ ).. he was just worried. Biting your bottom lip, you look down at the tiled floor, trying to decide what to do.  
After a moment, you decided. You nod to him, and his pristine white feathers are all poofed-out in excitement and happiness, and his eyes are suddenly star-shaped. So you weren't high earlier; he actually does that.  
Huh.

Waving you over to the tub, he carefully scoots around you, giving you plenty of space in the otherwise kinda tight space of a bathroom (the tub takes up about a third of it alone). Right as he dips out of the bathroom, he smiles bright again, one little fist curled up adorably near his chest and the other on the outer doorknob,

"JUST LEAVE YOUR CLOTHES ON THE FLOOR. I'LL GET YOU A FRESH OUTFIT!!" With that, he shut the door (a bit harshly) and you could hear his little pitter-patter of feet rapidly going up the stairs.

You realize that running away from him would be impossible.  
Well, the way you escaped last time probably won't work. Not that you're allowed to leave anyways.. you think that over. If you really weren't allowed to leave; that meant the universe you were in currently was dangerous.. that; or there was some sort of Doctor Who shit going down where you couldn't be seen, or whatever the rules were because you 'didn't belong there.' Either way; it _could_ get you killed..

 _'I can think this over later. Plans are only made to fall apart.. in the meantime..'_ You pull out your blade from your back pocket; not about to make the same mistake that you did all those.. a long time ago, with.. Tori..  
Your heart hurts. You push her out of your head, not willing to break your own barrier like that.

After stripping, you tentatively step into the water. The tub is deeper than it looks; because the water goes up to your knees, easily, and the side of the tub itself a little shorter than your mid-thigh. The bubbles towered over the tub, threatening to fall out; but you knew that unless you splashed a lot, you wouldn't have to worry about them avalanching over you. They seemed rather cemented to the wall in the way that they do when they start drying out. So, you sit down gently, and give a sigh of appreciation as the hot water reaches over your shoulders, brushing the back of your neck and some of your hair. You leaned your head back onto the edge of the tub, fully relaxing and fingering your blade in the bubbly deep. You wanted to wait until Sans got back with the clothes; mainly so he didn't see you slice your skin open. You were dark; but you weren't about to ruin the cinnamon roll. Fuck that shit.  
There was a sudden knocking on the door, so loud in what had been the quiet, peaceful atmosphere that it startled you and made you prick your finger on the sharp corner. You didn't see any blood through the water, though, so you guessed it would be fine.

"HUMAN!! I HAVE BROUGHT YOU A FRESH OUTFIT!! IT HAS BOTH STYLE AND COMFORT, MWEH HEH HEH!! ..ARE YOU, UM, DECENT??" This cute lil' motherfu-augh!! No, don't get attached.

"I'm good, Sans." You turn to face the door as it slowly creaked open, and Sans, oh, the sweetheart. He kept his eyesockets pointedly on the floor right next to his feet; already turning a brilliant blue as he placed your clothes on the counter. As he was reaching down to pick up your discarded clothing, he tripped a bit over his own two feet. The cinnamon roll's skull turned entirely blue now, electric blue, to be precise; and his wings were poofed in a flustered fashion.  
Very quickly; he scooped up your clothes and darted out of the bathroom. You wince as the door slammed, then pondered over what adorableness you just witnessed.  
_'Cute, but not worth getting attached to. Too messy,'_ you thought to yourself, turning yourself back around. You had noticed that it was a longer sleeved shirt; it definitely went past the elbows. The sleeve would probably stop somewhere along your forearm. _'I can't imagine either brother wearing a shirt like that, but whatever, I guess..'_

Now you had plenty of time to yourself.  
You bring your blade out of the water, and carefully moving away from the wall (you still tried to be stealth; even if they knew where you were. It had been ingrained into you as a survival instinct as a kid, you couldn't help it), you decided to cut into your upper, inner arm. Just below your elbow. You needed this. You may not have had the means of engraving a word that wasn't English; but you could easily cover your basic needs.  
..speaking of; you lost your phone somewhere. That had been the only way you had to translate words.. damn your stupidity.

Getting back to the project at hand; you brace your left hand firmly against the edge of the tub; and despite the fact that your hand was dripping wet, it stayed in place. Then, bracing yourself for the initial pain before the adrenaline kicked in; you started. Digging the tip of the blade into your skin and dragging down in one smooth motion, you grit your teeth against the way it hurt. It felt amazing, of course. It put you in your place. It was amazing; incredible. That first bite of the blade sucked; but it was the first few lines that led to the bliss that was the adrenaline blocking out everything. Numbing everything. It was.. great..  
Making another line, then another, you stop at twelve. There was quite some blood; and after you had run the tip of the blade (a bit more gently; you couldn't risk them finding out by bleeding through their clothes, after all) through all twelve slits in your skin again, you let your arm under the water to rinse off the blood. The pain as the still-hot water rushed over your fresh wounds was.. excruciating. You gave a soft cry of pure agony and lifted your arm from the water. Beside yourself with irritation for giving in to the pain, you forced it back under and endured it this time. Only whimpering once, you quickly cut yourself off as tears came to your eyes. This was no longer pleasant, but you had to do this; or else it would be sensitive for days. After a few minutes, you had a slightly runny nose from how badly you had wanted to cry, teary eyes; and an incredibly red arm with angry, swollen welts around your no-longer-bleeding cuts. The water hadn't even turned any shade of pink, despite how much blood you had just lost. At least a few tablespoons, if your slight light-headedness was anything to go by.  
..admittedly though, there _was_ a lot of water; so it made sense.

You were finished with what you needed; and so you turned your attention to your blade, carefully cleaning it of _any_ remote traces of blood you could see before shaking it off and placing it on the edge of the tub to let it dry. Resolving to finish the rest of your bath quickly so one of the brothers don't come in and spot it ( _Papyrus_ ); you dunking yourself, using both hands to scrub at your scalp under the water. Your face came next before you came up for air and quickly start on the rest of your body. When you finally finish, you notice that you made a small castle of bubbles around yourself; the only entrance facing the side of the tub, towards your blade. With a small hum of contentment, you cautiously lift your arm to double-check and be for-sure it isn't bleeding before you slowly get out of the tub. The towel Sans left for you rests on the toilet seat, and you brace yourself on the edge of the tub to snag it; getting little drops of water in a semi-straight line on and nearby the toilet before you wrap it around yourself and step out.

After drying; you were finally done. Well, almost. Looking under the bathroom sink; you find that sacred ledge that was a support beam to the counter from tilting sideways; and also a great place to hide things. Putting your blade away in it's (alternate?) usual spot, you stand and very, very carefully start getting dressed; putting on the shirt first, to get it out of the way. As you see what it says; you can immediately tell who owned it: 'Too sexy for my shirt' had the 'sexy' crossed out and replaced with 'cool.' You smile; then quickly school your expression before you finish dressing. Last but not least, you comb your fingers through your short, messy hair as best as you can. You're about to open the door, when you remember the small water mess you made and quickly wipe it up.  
As long as you're doing that; you try to drain the tub.. but it doesn't have a plug. Or a latch. Or a switch.

 _'How the hell did Sans even?!'_ In frustration; you give up on that idea. You tried. You failed.  
Move on.

As you open the bathroom door, holding onto the towel a bit nervously, you step out. The door gives you away, a small squeak alerting both brothers, who turn to look at you. One just watches you passively; eyeing you in familiar clothes (which doesn't make you more self-conscious _at all_ ), and the other shoots you a megawatt smile that slowly shifts into confusion as you step closer.

"PAPYRUS, DO YOU SMELL THAT?" Papyrus only took a moment, looking at his brother in confusion before he went ridged; staring at you so intensely that it felt like he was boring holes into your soul.

Papyrus didn't make a sound as he swiftly stood; his tail even being remarkably still. He kept his gaze locked with yours; and you felt frozen, like a deer in the headlights. You subconsciously held the towel closer as he slowly crept closer; Sans had looked so worried about his brother that you wanted to check on him, but you couldn't move your eyes from Papyrus' sockets and he was practically upon you-

You didn't even seen him move.

Your wrists were suddenly in his grasp, on in each hand; and he slowly leaned his skull close, his nasal bone practically touching the skin of your right wrist, then the left. Not once did Papyrus break eye contact (or, eye-to-eye socket); which kept you in a sort of trance. Your mind felt sluggish, yet it was racing with fear. It's like you couldn't think straight. What were you supposed to do?! No one has ever-well, you take that back. _Very few_ people have ever _smelled you_ before.  
Papyrus was exceedingly gentle as he pulled up your left sleeve; and you wonder if it was because his brother was right behind him. Literally. The smaller-than-what-you're-used-to Sans had approached and was trying to see what was happening. Papyrus took in a sharp breath after he finished pulling up the sleeve, finally breaking eye contact to assess the source of the scent of blood. Sans, however, was staring directly at you with tears in his big, soft blue eyes. He had seen. He seen the torn flesh and red swollen peaks where skin and skin had once been connected. He seen the spots of yellow inside the wounds, that, while he didn't know what it was; he knew it was bad that it was exposed to the world like it was. It was supposed to be covered by skin for a reason.. that's why the rest of you looked like it did. Unbroken skin.  
If only he knew.

And you were still frozen, captured by his broken, sorrowful expression of sympathy. This.. it was so genuine it actually caught you off guard. You were used to it from humans. They were fake. But.. this.. skeleton.. he was so pure, so good.. and he had the same look.. taking a deep breath, you finally find control over your body.

"Where."  
It wasn't a question. He had spoken so softly, that you had almost missed it. There was a firm tone to his voice, despite how he was tearing up. Sans looked at you with.. not anger..  
Determination.

"Human. Where is it?" He was shaking. The tears in his eyes had started rolling down his face; but he refused to break eye contact with you. You almost find your mobility stolen from you again; but you retain a small part of it. Enough to shake your head desperately.

 _'This.. this can't be happening.. No one has ever found my blade. Sans won't either. He can't,'_ Your body give an involuntary jerk as your breathing starts becoming shorter, more shallow. You can feel your muscles seizing up. You don't have panic attacks often, but you do have them-and given; not all of them are bad.. this.. your blade.. seeing you starting an episode, Papyrus easily pulls you close, and tucking your head next to his chest. He puts one arm around your upper back to keep you still while he traps your injured arm in the crook of his opposite elbow; and using the side of his ribs as a wall to restrain you from moving that arm, he turns his attention to Sans at last, he nods towards your arm, a sort of message to his brother. Sans takes off his gloves and raises both hands letting his hands hover inches away from your skin as, from what you can see from your awkward position and a half-a-faceful of Papyrus's shirt; a familiar green mist slowly made its way toward the cuts on your arms. You knew what might happen. Your arm isn't terribly sensitive, but the only other reason that Papyrus would hold your arm is because he doesn't want you to get away. Considering the circumstances; you wouldn't be surprised if it was more towards the second.

You brace yourself; gritting your teeth and everything. Then, you feel it. The most soothing feeling you have ever felt up to this point in your life. It was.. soft. It felt like silk.. and you had never felt silk. It was gentle.. easy? Careful. All these words are ones that popped up in your head while this sensation flowed into your arm, and you couldn't help but relax. You were so.. comfortable.. right now..

Stifling a yawn, you leaned more heavily against Papyrus. Suddenly, the feeling stopped, and you were slightly more aware than you had been. Papyrus had let you go, and you immediately looked at your arm.. it was a mess. The lines where you had opened your skin were healed; they were a white, faded color. They weren't even pink.

"..this is the worst possible outcome.." Papyrus locked his attention onto you.

"What?" You didn't respond, slowly sinking to your knees. With a trembling hand you picked up your towel that you had been lent, and bringing it close to your chest; you held onto it for dear life as you tried to keep control over your emotions. You would not cry.  
You would not cry.

You would _not_.

You hadn't even noticed that Sans had disappeared until he spoke quietly. Papyrus looked up at the sound of his brother calling his name.  
You looked up too, briefly noting the bathroom was a mess from the few items they had in it. Their items scattered on the floor, the sink.. and the cabinet door open; all it's contents disturbed.. and you turned your attention to Sans just in time to see him completely obliterate your blade.

Tears started running down your face.  
Then, you started laughing. You couldn't stop. The brothers looked at each other; obviously very uncomfortable with the entire situation. About ten, fifteen minutes later, you finally sobered.

"Ah..haha.. ahh, now.. now you should just kill me." Sans very obviously didn't like this idea; and he made his thoughts very apparent.

"HUMAN!! HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT?! WE JUST HEALED YOU!! HOW COULD YOU EVEN _DO_ THAT TO YOURSELF!!" He made a face that looked like he was straining against something, "D-Don't you.. don't you love yourself..?" You turn to face him with a look that was void of emotion.

"Only if it's a level of violence. It's all I deserve. And if you two are smart; you'll kill me before I fuck something up further. I already ruined you two. Don't let me ruin the rest of your universe." Papyrus' stiffened when you said this, and his tone became clipped.

"You aren't allowed to leave the house, remember kid?" Sans looked mildly surprised at this rule, but decided now wasn't the time to ask about it. You, however, turned a dry, empty look to Papyrus.

"If it's the only way I can finish what I came here to do, then I can't abide by your rules." Papyrus narrowed his sockets; tail swishing in anger. Then he was holding you by the front of your shirt, next to his face. You grin, daring him to hurt you.  
_'Push him. It's so easy..'_ Sans was yelling at Papyrus, though you couldn't understand him. Your focus wavered as you whispered to Papyrus,

"And what are you gonna do if I don't do what you say? _Kill me?_ " The way you were grinning was bound to irritate him. He studied your face for a moment, face of stone as he regarded you as some sort of intense form of trick question. Then, his skull split into a grin, and he was smiling right back at you. He dropped you, which led you to falling unceremoniously onto your ass while Papyrus shoved his hands into his hoodie pockets.

"Nah. Keep you around 'til I can find a way to drop you off at the mansion. They'll find a different home for you; and you won't be in our, heh, _hair_ anymore." There was a force that suddenly collided into you; very nearly toppling you onto your side before it wrapped its arms around you and grounded you.

"Human..! Please.. don't.." It was Sans. He was holding you as if you would disappear, face shoved into your shoulder. "Please, human, don't do this to yourself.. you can do it! You can be strong! You can stay strong..! I know.. you don't believe in you right now.. but I believe in you! I can believe in you enough for the both of us! I can't stop others from hurting you. ..but I won't let you hurt you anymore, human.. you can do so much better.. I _know_ it.."  
You hear him, but you just don't believe his words. You can't. He would break you.

Just like your blade.


	12. This Isn't Going As Planned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want you to know I literally wrote these chapters in 8 hours.  
> All three.  
> 8 hours. 5 of them were straight. Didn't go to bed 'til 3am.

Oh, Papyrus was _furious._

He had told you, _specifically,_ to keep a low profile. And what do you do?  
You pull a shit move like this. What the actual fuck was wrong with you.

His brother was trying to reassure you; but you looked.. dead. Your face of stone, staring off into the distance at something no one else could see. Like you didn't want to be here. Or anywhere, for that matter.  
_'Maybe she does, maybe she doesn't. Doesn't give her a reason to pull shit like that.'_

He pulled out another cigarette, and while lighting it; noted that his brother said nothing-probably knew it wasn't the time. Though, knowing his bro, he probably noticed. What a shame it was that you fell (so to speak) into their world. How dare you bring your troubles to a world that already had enough of them. They had their own problems to deal with; they didn't need yours too.  
_'..admittedly; she didn't have a choice.. her story checked out. She had come from the Anti-Void, after all. There's no way she would have been able to smell like both Ink and Error otherwise.'_ Papyrus sighed, deeply inhaling some smoke, then exhaling it from between his teeth and nose. Scratching at an itch behind his left horn, he swished his tale in annoyance, and his large wings twitched with a need to be stretched. You couldn't have told him this before you broke down? His brother didn't need to end up worrying about you.. if you crushed his brother's spirit; Papyrus vowed that he would maim you.  
That is; if he didn't kill you first.

Sans had finally got you to sit on the couch, using a lot of persuading and soft murmuring into your ear the entire time he supported the left side of your body; assisting you to the corner of the couch. Papyrus watched the entire exchange of bodily touch from the spot he still stood-the same one he had subtly threatened and dropped you from. That spike of anger-and a hint of fear-struck through him again, and he struggled not to put a bone through your chest. Instead, he glanced over to the area where Sans had wrecked your hand-blade. From what he had seen of it-or, what Sans had showed him before he lodged multiple bone attacks through it with incredible precision ( _his bro was so cool_ )-it had been rectangular; a polygon sort of shape. Four points, with the broader angle towards the sharpened part of the blade. Now? Heh.. now it was a small, slightly scattered pile of shattered metal bits upon the floor. That bone attack Sans had pulled was certainly impressive; even for Sans.. which means you must mean a lot to him.  
_'She's his first human. Of course she means a lot,'_ Papyrus hesitated; then added bitterly, _'Or at least the first one he remembers.'_ While it was true that Sans knew of the multiverse (which wasn't odd, yet wasn't normal either), Sans had still yet to remember any of the resets. Papyrus vaguely wonders if his brother ever will; then decides it's probably better if he doesn't. Even if it would be nice to have someone to talk to, he doesn't want to put his brother through the eternal torment that he himself already has to deal with.  
Sans whispered something to you, which you didn't respond to, sitting numbly on the couch while Sans hurried over to his brother.

"Will you watch the human while I dispose of her.." Sans glanced over towards the pile of shredded, mangled bits of metal; and Papyrus shook his head.

"Nah, bro. Why don't you watch the human and I'll clean it up? I know just where to put it where it won't hurt anyone ever again." Sans looked surprised (probably because his lazy brother just offered to clean up something), then looked ultimately relieved, nodding once.

"Okay. Just be careful, Papy."

"Yup." Sans quickly hurried back over to you, sitting beside you on the couch and offering an arm. His wings brushed the back of the couch, and a few of his feathers were out of place; something that he would usually never tolerate. The scent of your blood must have really, heh, _ruffled his feathers._ Papyrus immediately felt terrible for making a pun about his brother's concern, then mentally shrugged and moved towards the mess. Kneeling down and looking at it; there were a few shards that were a few feet away from the main pile. Admittedly, it wasn't really a pile; it was more of a gathering of bits of metal in a foot or so radius. It took about fifteen minutes and Sans getting a glass of water for you; which he ended up setting on the coffee table because you didn't make any move to reach for it (or any indication that you even knew that it was there); but Papyrus didn't trust the vacuum cleaner to pick up all the pieces. With his sharp eyes, he nodded once when he gave the rug a once over and didn't spot any more shards glimmering in the living room light, and stood up with the small pile of metal.

How did he hold it in his bony hands?  
Magic.

No, literally. His version of Chara had asked him many times how he did things. How his cigarettes stayed in place, how he ate food.. magic was the actual answer.  
Papyrus turned to look at Sans, who managed to catch his glance, and nodded at the taller skeleton. Papyrus nodded back silently, and took a shortcut to Waterfall; standing at the edge of the abyss. Without a second thought; he threw the metal into the darkness over the edge, brushing off his skeleton hands and going back home. Neither you nor Sans had moved; but in the few moments he had been gone, a new stranger had entered their home. Papyrus immediately bristled from his scent; he smelled like so many different beings.. Papyrus knew he was from the mansion; but he couldn't identify who this new skeleton was. Obviously he was a Sans of some sort, but the real question was.. which Sans was he?  
_'I don't remember enough about the place to have a clear idea of this guy,' Papyrus paused, 'I might not have even met him at all in the two trips. Hopefully I won't have to meet anymore.. they can stay in their own fucking universes.' _Standing rigid in his spot, he stared down the newcomer until he noticed that he was being watched.__

__"Oh, sorry. Didn' mean to scare you two. Just looking for them," the newcomer jerked his thumb at you (Papyrus didn't miss how he seemed to be lacking the other limb), and Papyrus narrowed his eyesockets at him._ _

_'This could work out..'_  
"Take her then. We don't need her." A small gasp of shock and mild horror erupted from the couch. 

__"PAPY!! SHE OBVIOUSLY NEEDS OUR HELP!!" Papyrus looked at his brother, then shook his skull._ _

__"We can't help her bro; she's too stubborn. She's too far gone to even care anymore." Sans looked absolutely furious; and Papyrus knew then that he should have worded that differently.  
He had fucked up._ _

__"PAPYRUS. I AM NOT LETTING ANYONE TAKE HER UNTIL I KNOW SHE'S SAFE. I AM GOING TO HELP HER, NO MATTER WHAT!! EVERYONE DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE!!" It was at this point the newcomer spoke up again,_ _

__"Is there, uh, something I missed here?" Papyrus only turned to stare at him, about to reply._ _

__"Bro! You totes m'gotes found the disruption!! Nicely done; amigo!" Turning himself around, Papyrus' sockets were assaulted with a horrid combination of atrocious colors.  
The newcomer just watched him approach from the fading, colorful shortcut he had taken,_ _

__"Hey Fresh."  
Fresh? That sounded familiar. Surely Papyrus wouldn't have forgotten such an.. obnoxious color scheme though._ _

__"So, whadd'ya gonna do with her? Ink and the others are still searching-" At this point, something clicked, and Papyrus interjected,_ _

__"All of you from the mansion are searching for this human?" Fresh turned towards him, giving him a neutral smile while he subtly took in his features._ _

__"Yup. Well, all except Edge, who's supposed to be babysittin' this dude," Fresh gave finger guns to the other newcomer, whose expression didn't change much, with the exception of (the equivalent of) an eye roll.  
Papyrus didn't know for sure if Edge was the tall, loud, angry version of himself that didn't seem to know that any other color besides black and red existed; but he was about seventy-eight percent certain that his hunch was right._ _

__"Anywho! Bro, you found her first, so you should take her back to the mansion." Fresh threw confetti from his pockets; much to the native brothers' irritation. Sans, because he would most likely have to clean it up, and Papyrus because Fresh just miffed him in general._ _

__"Yeah," the newcomer started, moving his arm into his pocket and shifting his glance towards Sans, "About that.."  
Sans had wrapped both arms around you; while you still didn't seem to be home._ _

__"YOU CANNOT TAKE HER!! I WON'T LET YOU!!" Papyrus sighed from his brothers continuous refusal to let them have you,_ _

__"Bro-"  
"NO!!" Sans held you closer; glaring all three of them down. His wings had poofed to maximum size; Papyrus knew his brother was trying to look threatening, but.. he was just too cute, and Papyrus could already feel himself caving._ _

__"If ya don't wanna let her go; why not come with us bro?" Fresh grinned at Sans.  
Papyrus was not okay with this._ _

__"We are not going back to that-"  
"IF IT MEANS I CAN KEEP AN EYE SOCKET ON HER, THEN I'LL DO IT!!"_ _

Papyrus couldn't believe this.  
Well, he could; but he didn't want to. He stared at Fresh, jaw still open in mid-sentence before he closed it with a sigh, accepting defeat.  
The newcomer shrugged, 

__"Well, let's go then. Might as well get this over with." Papyrus didn't miss the way the Fresh grinned at your practically dead form. He was absolutely certain that this skeleton had plans to use you somehow, and he wasn't sure how to feel about that as he followed them._ _

__

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__

__After stepping through the very colorful portal (Papyrus' skull was starting to hurt from staring at the melding of colors that just didn't mix); they ended up in the massive main room (the only room that Papyrus and Sans had ever stepped foot in here).  
Then the headache really began._ _

"WHERE THE _FRESH_ HAVE YOU BEEN-" The tall skeleton-Papyrus recognized him as Edge-was talking (screaming) at the newcomer. Then he had turned his skull to glare a hole into the side of Fresh's own. Fresh only gave him finger guns and a smirk; winking over the top of his sunglasses. Edge turned back to the newcomer, 

__"YOU ARE GROUNDED."_ _

__"Thought I was already grounded."_ _

"YOU ARE. ADD ANOTHER WEEK. AND ANOTHER WEEK FOR YOUR _FREAKIN'_ SASS," Edge didn't pay any more mind to the colorful skell; in which Fresh only shrugged and walked into the kitchen, still staying in the proximity to eavesdrop. 

"SERIFF, HONESTLY; I EXPECTED- WELL, I DIDN'T EXPECT JACK _SHIZ_ FROM YOU, BUT YOU STILL COULD HAVE STAYED IN THE MANSION. YOU CAN BARELY KEEP YOURSELF TOGETHER IN A FIGHT." Seriff, it seemed, only shrugged his shoulders and looked off to the side, smirking to himself. 

"I can keep up with you, can't I?" Seriff mumbled mostly to himself. This, Papyrus decided, was very obviously _not_ what Edge wanted to hear. The look on his face was something of a mix between looking like he had bit into a lemon, and someone shitting in his cereal.  
It was at this point a new version of his brother showed up. Turned out to be Ink (Papyrus knew this skeleton, at least). 

__"There you are! Geez; I've been looking everywhere for you! What AU were you hiding in??"  
For the first time, you moved. Turning to look at Ink, your face still remained blank._ _

__"Dunno. Hell, I think." Ink's face fell into one of flat irritation and he sighed, running a hand down his face._ _

"Human, that wasn't very nice.. I understand that you're hurting, but we're only trying to help. I won't give up on you..!" Papyrus nearly froze, hearing how softly Sans was talking to you. He knew his brother wanted the best for everyone; but this was getting ridiculous. He couldn't let Sans get any closer to you, or he would be crushed if you managed to hurt yourself again. Or worse (in which Papyrus wouldn't be terribly surprised).  
Papyrus wouldn't let you hurt his brother. He had to get them out of there as soon as possible. 

He was so busy worrying about his brother, that he missed how you flinched away from Sans' words; as though they had stung you.  
Ink, Edge, and Seriff, however, did not. Between the three of them, they exchanged glances. One questioning, one guessing, and one knowing.  
They all knew you would be a problem. 

__

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__

The next three days passed by in a blur for you. The one constant was Sans (who had been dubbed Cotton (because of his wings); while his brother was nicknamed Leather), who never left your side. You knew he was constantly talking to you, with you, around you, but you couldn't make out what he was saying. And after your first response to Ink on the first day; you only gave very basic answers to any others that asked you questions. There was one, Blueberry, who had especially wanted to help after Cotton had explained to him what had happened. But, after he noticed you had shut down; shut out the outside world.. it wasn't that he gave up-it's more that he was giving you strategic space so that he could figure out a way to help you. That, and his brother, Stretch, had never let you two alone in the same room.. even if Cotton _was_ always with you. There were several different Sans' that had tried to interrogate (and some who tried to threaten) you, but you didn't care enough; and it showed through your sluggish actions.  
There was once, on the third day, where you had been sitting on the couch in the main room-one of the only rooms besides your (assigned) own that you had been to-when Cotton had been in the kitchen, getting you something to drink. A few of the more.. hands-on skeletons noticed Cotton's absence from your side and took the opportunity. 

Edge, you had gathered, stood to your immediate right. He watched with crossed arms over his chest and a sneer on his face; towering over you.  
There was another, shorter version of him-this one looked like Sans though. Decked out in leather, and a scar on his face. Sharp teeth. A scarf like Cotton, but.. it wasn't taken care of very well.. all tattered and torn. You hadn't seen this one yet, so you didn't really know who he was. He stood with a confident, demanding stance as he tried to tower over you. Emphasis on tried.  
There were two others-a taller skeleton that looked like Edge but stood behind (and slightly to his right) the shorter skeleton in front of you, skull inclined slightly in a relaxed position; yet fully alert. The only way you could describe him was.. like the Papyrus that you had had to deal with recently. The one with horns. This Papyrus was smoking at the moment, staring at you with a mildly interested expression. His leather jacket was akin to the outfits of the other two.  
The only one who stood out was the version of Sans in nearly all white; his right eye socket covered by something. He stood to your left, slightly in front of the smoking Papyrus, and was bleeding through his sweater. He wore.. a red, torn scarf. It seemed familiar, but you couldn't find it in you to place why. His scowl was obviously the most hate-filled. 

_'Good,'_ you thought emptily, as you absently noted as many features as you could in your haze. 

You didn't react to them. Not until one of them (the short one in front of you) took you by the front of your shirt and dragged you off the couch and onto your knees in front of him, now easily able to tower over you like the other three, despite being quite a bit shorter. 

"SO.. _HUMAN,_ " he spat out the word like it was a disgusting taste in his mouth, "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, MESSING WITH SHIT YOUR SMALL, INSIGNIFICANT HUMAN BRAIN WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND?" Edge muttered under his breath, which didn't sound very under his breath with the way he talked. 

__"LOOK WHO'S TALKING," the skeleton who had gripped your shirt glared at him, then turned his attention back to you, not deeming a response necessary._ _

__"IF YOU STEP OUT OF LINE, EVEN ONCE.. I WILL NOT HESITATE TO KILL YOU. JUST BECAUSE CLASSIC GAVE YOU A FREE PASS TO FUCK SHIT UP DOESN'T MEAN I'M A FUCKING IDIOT LIKE HIM. I WILL NOT DO THE SAME," he brought you closer, faces inches apart. He carried the scent of spices. "ONE FUCK UP IS ALL I'M LOOKING FOR. AND YOU'LL BE DEAD BEFORE YOU CAN-"_ _

__This version of Sans was suddenly gone. A sound of bone being slammed into a wall resonated through the house._ _

__"M'Lord!!" The taller, smoking skeleton vanished; looking over your left shoulder. Turning to see what was happening for yourself, you couldn't believe what you were seeing.  
Cotton was pinning the other, slightly taller version of himself to the wall. A blue bone sticking through the violent skeleton's chest, Cotton holding the end that wasn't puncturing itself into the wall. The tall skeleton stopped a few feet away from Cotton. You barely noticed in time that the violent skeleton had his hand raised to stop him._ _

__"IT'S JUST THE HUMAN'S BITCH, MUTT. NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, OBVIOUSLY," the sweat on his forehead said otherwise, but he kept up his attitude; even as a blue bone stuck out from his ribcage, "TELL ME; WHAT DID SHE DO TO COMPLETELY OWN YOU LIKE THIS? DID SHE TORTURE YOU? OR ARE YOU JUST STUPID ENOUGH TO HELP THIS DISGUSTING INSECT?" Cotton, who's face you couldn't see, whispered something you didn't catch to the other Sans, and he froze, then nodded to the Papyrus he called 'Mutt.'_ _

__Mutt didn't hesitate to turn back to you, looking at you with a neutral expression. Well, he must have heard what had been said then. Edge looked on with a scowl, apparently not having heard what was said either, like you. As for the bloody Sans.. his expression hadn't changed. If anything; it had become even more serious; which made it hard to tell if he heard or not.  
Mutt approached you, reaching out with a splayed, open hand. Then, turning it into a fist; he sharply pulled back towards himself. A sharp pain wracked your chest, though besides the small gasp of initial pain (and slight shock), you made no other sound. Your soul was now out in the open by a rather rough means._ _

__The others looked shocked, staring at your soul. The colors that permeated and melded within your soul were faded and dull; becoming a greyish, sludgy color. The larger, center crack at the top had gotten slightly bigger. Cotton had barely dispersed the bone from the violent Sans' chest, when the latter doubled over and vomited onto the floor. Cotton took a step back when the other started heaving the purple substance onto the ground. Mutt looked.. greatly disturbed, as did Edge; while bloody Sans just looked.. contemplative.  
Cotton walked back towards your kneeling self with a tension in his frame that you hadn't seem him ever carry. He looked.. upset. But more than that; he seemed tired. He returned your soul and offered a hand out to you. Though, you only stared at him blankly; to which he sighed and helped you up anyways. Cotton's sockets held a determination to keep you safe._ _

__As Cotton led you out of the room to head up the stairs; you remember hearing one of the others,  
"I don't think I've ever seen such a self-destructive soul."_ _

__

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__

__The event happened yesterday, no one has bothered you since. In fact, the four that approached you had been sure to stay very, very far away from you. They would either leave the room entirely, or watch you from a distance. You could glimpse them every so often when you would turn around a corner._ _

__On the bright side(?), you got to meet 'Classic;' supposedly the one who had told the others not to kill you upon sight.  
You planned to punch him in the face for that._ _

__Cotton stayed near your side ever since the incident; only leaving you for your baths. After eating monster food for so long; you discovered why some monster homes don't have toilets. That was nice, you guess. Mentally shrugging the thought away; you focus on the monster who had just sat down in front of you, sitting at the other end of the table in the kitchen. He looked 4'9; a little shorter than you, being at 5'4. He gave you an easy, laid back wink; and you forgot that you were originally going to punch him, instead blinking in mild confusion, and asking,_ _

__"Why are you so okay with me being here?" He shrugged, responding while holding up a finger,_ _

__"'Cuz I could easily dunk you if you were a threat," he held up a second finger, "Secondly; I heard about your soul," you tensed, and he did too, his grin becoming strained, "That, uh, isn't exactly normal. You.. aren't a mage, but you aren't exactly a normal human. My Gaster wouldn't have searched for you if you were." You had to clarify this,_ _

" _Your_ Gaster?" He nodded, 

__"Yeah. The one you talked to with the.. human ghost. Monster who looks like he's melting?" Sans gave you an expectant look, and you nodded, so he continued, "Ink said he sent you to the multiverse. Kid, you don't want to have his attention. My dad wasn't.. bad. But the place he went.. you don't go into places like that. Not without losing.. parts of yourself in the process." He looked uncomfortable. Cotton sat in another chair at your side, looping one of his arms around yours, wings tucked neatly behind him and sitting erect, practically saluting in a sign of respect towards Classic. You didn't know how to process this information._ _

"He didn't seem bad. Something about altering my AU," you started, when Classic cut you off.  
"You don't _want_ to see his bad side. But you also definitely don't want to be noticed by him. If he thinks you're of interest; it's most likely a bad thing." This brought up an important question, so you asked, with no small amount of disinterest, 

__"What makes me so important?" Classic looked at you, offering a brief shrug._ _

__"Dunno kid. Might have something to do with how your soul is trying to implode itself."_ _

" _What?_ " He nodded towards your chest, 

__"Your soul. It's trying to make itself Fall Down," he paused, trying to figure out how to describe it to you without making you panic, "Might explain why you're so, uh, injured." He tapped the side of his skull.  
You narrowed your eyes, a frown marring your face. The first true expression you made for the past three days._ _

__"Then I should be fine, right?" Comic looked at you strangely,_ _

__"Uh, kid, I think you just missed the part where I said- oh," he seemed to relax a bit, "You don't know what Falling Down is, do you?"_ _

__"Oh, I know." Classic looked at you incredulously,_ _

__"Kid, what-" He cut himself off, the pieces clicking together for him, "Oh god.. your soul is trying to Fall Down because you've lost your will to live.." He looks away, towards the wall the table was situated against. After a few moments, he turns back to you, "That still doesn't explain why my Gaster is so interested in you." You can only shrug at that.  
Sans hunched over a bit and scrubbed at his face with the palms of his skeleton hands. He hadn't been prepared for that discovery; having thought he knew why Gaster was so interested in you. He sat up again and looked up at you; a small, apologetic smile on his face,_ _

"Looks like you're staying with us a little longer; kiddo." You couldn't bring yourself to care, in all honesty. What's one version of hell to another? You gave him a blank stare in response, and he sighed heavily. Cotton squeezed your hand reassuringly, yet your body only felt a jolt of fear; though you were careful to keep it off of your face. You knew Cotton wasn't trying to do anything but help; but you couldn't.. you couldn't break again. You wouldn't. Not to him. Not to anyone. _'Happiness can't be trusted,'_ you thought mechanically. 

__A sudden, loud sound echoed from outside (the 'backyard', you think); which happened to be on the other side of the kitchen wall. You stand almost robotically, leaving Cotton and Sans to move over to the window to spot an.. interesting sight._ _

__There was a _very large_ Sans sparring (fighting?) Edge and Seriff. You watched through the window above the sink, and you could hear the other two standing to join you. Suddenly you hear Classic take a sharp intake of air, and you get the sense that he doesn't like the situation. You just can't piece together if it's because he has beef with that specific Sans, or if it's because he doesn't want you near him. You take your chances and head outside, closing the door behind you to give yourself a little more time. Making your way down the couple steps of the deck, you spot Classic appear directly in front of you.  
And by spot, you mean you nearly collide with him. Speaking of spotting, the trio of sparring skeletons notice the both of you. Seriff was fighting with a greatsword, Edge with a sharpened bone, and the large Sans with a giant axe. ..that was actually impressive; since that axe looked heavy as fuck. However; as soon as the last one spotted you, his grin turned insane, and very murderous, as he started shambling towards you,_ _

__"Heya, kiddo.. want a head dog..?" Classic shoved his hands into his pockets; becoming very tense,_ _

__"Axe, stop. You can't kill this human. Gaster is already trying to get her soul." Axe didn't stop his slow but steady pace; his one red eye (his other socket was pitch black) never leaving your own,_ _

"All the more reason to invite her to _dinner,_ " Classic sighed, then your soul appeared, turning blue..  
And then it faded back to the grey sludgy color. He turned around when your soul didn't respond to his magic, 

__"Fuck," was all the time he had to say anything before he was shoved aside; Axe hovering over you with weapon poised and ready to strike,_ _

" **O n e h e a d d o g c o m i n g u p!!** " You didn't have any time to move; you were frozen by fear. Though, if you had the chance to think; you would have thought how annoying survival instincts could be. As Axe swung his, well, axe down for the killing blow, Cotton stood in front of him; a large, thick bone raised in his hand to block Axe's attack.  
As metal met bone; bone split and shattered, with Cotton stumbling back a couple steps against you and bracing himself for an attack the didn't come. Instead, the sound of metal on metal grated through the air. 

Seriff had his greatsword out. Which, seeing it up close, it was actually rather massive; with small, fine engravings you couldn't understand. With one arm (his only one, you absently noticed, slightly impressed. And if your brain had been working a thought somewhat simar to _'How the fuck is he holding that with one arm,'_ would have passed through your brain) held out his unsheathed sword to block the incoming weapon. He stood behind you, not having had enough space to maneuver himself between yourself and Axe while Cotton had been standing there. Thankfully, the Aussie had been tall enough that when the weapons met, they were still a few inches short from taking some off of the top of your head. 

__"Classic said no attacking. Back off it, mate," Seriff ground out between clenched teeth. Axe only bore down more of his weight into his weapon; crazed smile stretching painfully over his face, his one lit eye wild. You noticed Seriff was starting to lose ground when the weapons started getting closer to your face, and you cast a brief glance back to see a sweatdrop roll down the side of his skull, and he grunted from the effort of fending off Axe. Suddenly, Axe flew back a few feet, only taking a few moments to figure out what was happening; regaining his footing and giving a low, dangerous chuckle as he resisted the magic set upon his soul._ _

Seriff panted, muttering about how "fighting and sparring are two different things," and his apparent distaste for the former. Cotton, Seriff, and yourself turned to see Leather standing there; looking absolutely _livid_ with righteous fury. Edge was standing nearby, but well away from Leather (you had wondered where Edge had went). Dark orange magic swirling around him as he stood with his arm extended in front of his body, reaching towards Axe. He jerked his arm up violently; and Axe only hovered a few feet before forcing himself back to the ground, both opponents sweating from their efforts.  
Leather's right socket suddenly burned with that dark orange color of magic, throwing his arm to the side; and Axe went flying into the side of the house. From the cloud of dust, Axe went flying in the other direction, tumbling over the ground several times before skidding to a stop on his front. He had dug his claws into the ground; and used the flats of his worn sneakers to stop himself when he was a certain distance away from Leather. 

Not that _that_ mattered. 

__Leather teleported over to him, tossing him into the air before slamming him down and making a pretty decent crater. You almost didn't notice Cotton sprinting over to Leather, pulling on his sleeve and trying to calm him down. Classic groaned as he stood, holding his head tenderly. Your attention immediately snapped towards him when you seen him making his way towards the trio out further in the yard; he must have hit his head on the deck from the way he was holding the side of his skull. Noticing his agony (you were sure his headache was absolutely massive), you started reaching out towards him without thinking. As soon as your hand made contact with his skull; the green magic that you had become so familiar with came.. it was darker, heavier than usual.. but it would have to work. You couldn't just watch him suffer.  
You refused to be impassive anymore._ _

Classic hadn't flinched when you touched him (which surprised the hell out of you), and sighed in relief the second your magic touched his skull. After a few moments, you realized what you had done. You slowly pulled your hand away from him, and with a small sound of disappointment from him, you quickly made your way inside.  
_'You're abandoning Cotton and Leather,'_ you thought in the midst of your panic, and you nearly went back for them until the next thought rolled in like a bulldozer, _'They're better off without me,'_ and with that you navigated your ways through the halls; left, right, left, left, right ( _dead end go back_ ), left. Panting, you rest your hands on your knees, just wanting a hiding place, you couldn't take this stress- 

__"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT." You shrieked; not having heard someone follow you; and you spun around to see Edge not too far away from you.. still some distance though, so at least there's that. When you didn't respond, he continued,_ _

__"YOU CAN USE MAGIC. HEALING MAGIC. TCH. WHAT A WASTE," He looked around, taking in his surroundings, then went to the third door to your right (the one closest to you); near the end of the hallway. Pressing your back to the wall to create more distance between the two of you; you didn't expect him to pull you in with him. Well, drag you in with him. By the arm. Roughly.  
As you were tossed to the side and he closed the door behind him, Papyrus created his own doorway. You gave him a look of confusion,_ _

__"I thought only Sans could do that?" Papyrus gave you a look that said he thought you were beneath him, and sighed in exasperation,_ _

__"NO. EVERY VERSION OF US WHO KNOWS WELL OF THE MANSION CAN CREATE INTER-DIMENSIONAL PORTALS." You gave him another strange look,_ _

__"I thought they were doorways?"_ _

__"CALL THEM WHAT YOU LIKE. IT IS ALL THE SAME CONCEPT," turning towards the portal, he tossed this over his shoulder,_ _

"STAY HERE. I'LL BE BACK WITH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO USE HEALING MAGIC.. MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN THE REST OF US." He mumbled the last part; as though he were only grudgingly admitting it.  
So you did as you were told. You sat on the floor, leaning your back against the wall, near the dresser; and watched as the portal closed. You waited. And waited.  
And waited. 

__Taking in the room around you; you noticed it was someone's bedroom. You didn't know whose; because the walls were bare and white. But there was a bed with white sheets and a tan cover. The head board was a dark, oaken brown. There was a single light fixture, in the middle of the ceiling. Just a simple dome light, with it's switch on the wall next to the door. There was the wooden dresser on the other side of the room from the bed, and a closet in the same wall the dresser was against, on the opposite side. The floor was just wooden boards, with a simple, circular, plain white rug in the middle of the floor. With nothing else to do, you took in your surroundings. You didn't have a watch, but being you (with a short attention span); it felt like forever before the portal finally re-opened, bringing Edge back to you. He looked thoroughly disgruntled; though once he was in your presence again, he put up his cool front that said nothing could get to him._ _

__"PATHETIC HUMAN. MEET THE FUCKING TRASH THAT WILL TRAIN YOU."_ _

"Heh, is that an offer I hear~?" You look towards the portal, eyes widening when you seen the.. not well dressed skeleton step into the room, the portal closing behind him. You had the urge to look away; to give him some sort of sense of privacy from how scantily-clad he was. It wasn't that his sense of fashion was _bad_ , per say.. it was just..  
Wow. That purple vest didn't cover much, did it..? 

__Noting how Edge was staring pointedly in a certain direction, the new skeleton followed his gaze and easily spotted you, standing out against the pale background of white-washed walls. He grinned lecherously,_ _

__"Oooh, cute human. Is she yours~?" Edge sputtered, taking several attempts to use his words before finally finding them,_ _

__"FUCK NO!!"_ _

__"Oh. You guys are just-"_ _

" _NO!!_ " 

"Then can I have her~?" He winked at you, and you felt your face redden. Who the fuck-  
What the fuck-  
_What._

Was this guy _serious??_

__"NO. YOU NEED TO TRAIN THEM." Papyrus crossed his arms; and the.. questionable skeleton waggled his bone brows, sockets hooding as you could feel him scanning over your form,_ _

"Yeah..? 'Kay. Name's Lust, cutie. What's yours~? Or," he licked his teeth. He _licked_ them, "Do you prefer to just get down to _business?_ " Papyrus hit him upside the back of his skull so quickly; you almost didn't notice the movement, 

__"YOU FUCKING IDIOT; I MEANT TRAIN HER MAGIC!!" Lust glanced up at Papyrus in genuine surprise,_ _

__"She has magic??" Papyrus nodded, crossing his arms once more,_ _

__"I WATCHED HER HEAL CLASSIC." Lust grinned lecherously once more, glancing at you,_ _

__"Trying to get to the top already, huh, kid?" He winked at you, and only laughed when he was smacked again._ _

"I am _really_ getting tired of all of you calling me a fucking _kid,_ " you growl. Lust raised a brow, 

__"We never said anything about-"  
"You know what I mean!!" Lust only laughed when you cut him off so quickly, and you tried not to turn red,_ _

"The shy type, eh? That's pretty fitting, considering how cute you are," he sighed, grinning in amusement, "This is gonna be fun." 


	13. The Healing Master

Nope.  
Nope nope nope nope nope.

You stand, immediately heading for the door before Edge took your arm; roughly pulling you back towards himself,

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING, HUMAN," he narrowed his sockets at you. Lust tsked,

" _Come_ now, Edgy; be _gentle_ with the fleshy parts~" Edge growled at the nickname, and as soon as he processed the rest of the statement; he dropped your arm as if you had burned him, wiping his glove off on a spare rag he had. He made it a point of looking you in the eye as he threw it into the garbage bin in the corner, then stalked out of the room; slamming the door closed behind him. Lust chuckled quietly, hooking his thumbs into his vest pockets.

"Don't mind him; he's always like that." You rolled your eyes,

"Wow, that's reassuring.." Lust frowned a bit.

"Sarcasm is pretty gross. It won't get you very far in this place," he shrugged, "Just a warning." You grinned sadistically, and he narrowed his sockets at you,

"So. I guess the first thing you should do is look at my soul, like everyone else has. Apparently that's a thing," you don't say what you want to; which would have been somewhere along the lines of: _'Good to know.'_  
Lust gave you a bewildered look,

"What? But- that's.. it's, uh, very private.. to do that. Did they let you know that?" To his credit, he looked genuinely upset. Maybe you should correct yourself quick,

"Well, not everyone. I mean, the answer to your question is no; no one told me that. And no; I didn't know, either. But not _everyone_ has seen my soul. Only the Sans and Papyrus native to my AU, my Toriel, Cotton and Leather, Edge, an eternally bleeding skeleton that apparently only likes white, and two that looked like Edge, but.. one looked like Sans. He called the Papyrus 'Mutt,'" you shrugged. Lust nodded and started explaining,

"The eternally bleeding skeleton," he grinned with mild amusement at the nickname, before he sobered, "Is called Geno. And 'Mutt' is actually Slim, while the one who called him that is Raspberry; but everyone calls him Razz for short," he rocks back onto his heals before rocking forward again. You hum in thought, wondering how to word your next question,

"You can still look at my soul, if you want," you shrug, "You seem pretty transparent. Sex and then gone, right? The basic guy in.. my overworld. Well, some girls are like that too. So people in general. We all fucking suck," you stopped, and couldn't help yourself as a grin split your face, your hand quick to cover your mouth as you snickered to yourself quietly. "And not in the best way." You wink at him.  
Lust is more than pleased by this discovery, it seems. He grinned at you mischieviously, sockets narrowed playfully,

"So, you're _secrete_ -ly skilled, then, huh?" You tilted your head at him in confusion, and he had just grinned wider when you figured it out; blushing furiously.  
Like. How dare he.  
How _dare_ he??

Well, now he was openly laughing at you; doubled over as you brought your hands to your chest awkwardly, where your soul was. You were keeping your gaze well away from any point even remotely near him, pouting a bit and moving to cover your mouth with one overly-baggy sleeve. You were so busy avoiding eye contact with him that you didn't notice him approach you. You found yourself pinned against the wall behind you, Lust putting one hand on the wall near your head, with the other reaching under your chin, tilting your head to look up at him.  
Fuck.  
His face was mere inches from your own.  
...  
_Fuck._

You took the opportunity to study his face-usually you wouldn't be comfortable in this position at all; but he was so easy to read that you felt even you would be able to see any red flags when they popped up. His sockets were hooded, skull slightly tilted as he looked into your eyes. Judging by the way his (were those.. purple hearts?) eyes kept flickering, he was giving you the same treatment. Though, admittedly, he seemed more at home in this scenario than you could ever imagine feeling. His tongue (what is life anymore) ran over his teeth, curling in a way that made your eyes linger on the faux muscle for a moment before forcing yourself to move on. His bone was slightly glossy.. you didn't know what it was, but it seemed different than the skulls of the other skeletons in this place. He was so warm, too. It felt like you were sitting next to a furnace. You started to figit uncomfortably. What the hell was happening-

Suddenly, he pulled away stiffly, taking a few steps back and a deep breath that you're positive he doesn't actually need. You didn't realize you were trembling, until you felt your knees shudder. Holding up a hand, you can see the subtle tremor in your entire hand, but especially in your fingers.

"Heh.. sorry. I have that.. effect on others.." He looks strained, and you suddenly get an idea of why.

"Did.. did I.. uh-" He shook his skull,

"Nah, kid, it's in the name, sweetie. LT is hard to, uh, deal with, is all," he took another shuddery breath, then straightened out, acting as though nothing had just happened, "So, about your magic." You could visibly see him grit his teeth, and brace himself as he took his index on his left hand into his right hand..  
..and swiftly pulled backwards. Lust let out a shrill, muffled cry of pain as he broke his own finger, then, gingerly held his hand out to you. You looked at him in more than a mild amount of horror.

"Don't worry.. even if you can't heal it; I know a few others who can," he panted, "All the same, can you hurry and try to heal it anyways..?" You immediately moved forward, putting your hands around his injured one (making sure to keep a little distance. The last thing you wanted to do was jostle it), you looked up at him,

"I.. the bone.." Lust, miraculously, knew what you were asking while you were panicked and at a loss for words. That was nice; since you didn't think you could find your words right now with the shock you were in.  
Seriously, what the fu- _hell_ is wrong with this guy??

"Don't worry," he added with entirely too much patience for a guy who just _broke his own fucking finger_ (stop), and a strained smile, "It'll mend back into place. You gotta," wince, "..trust in your magic," he was gritting his teeth again, and you nodded, _determined_ to help him.

With this in mind, you focused your magic, letting the off-green smoke-like substance flow down your arms until it reached its appointed destination. Lust sighed with relief mere moments after it touched his hand, and after roughly three minutes; Lust pulled back his hand, flexing it as he nodded,

"A little sore, but-woah! Hey, you're okay..!" He had barely caught you when your legs gave out, and he finally noticed the way that your magic had looked. He wondered..  
He moved and braced himself so he was sitting against the wall, near the door, with you leaning against his chest, your back resting on his chest. Tugging out your soul (with mild difficulty); he noticed what was wrong immediately. Your soul was charcoal grey.. wait, no.. it was different shades of grey. Three different shades of grey, exactly. ..there was a giant crack in your soul.. two. Two cracks. One was much smaller than the other, though, and slightly off to the side. It could be easily overlooked. Lust took a sharp intake of air as he noticed that your soul was losing even more color. You were dazing in and out of it when you felt your soul being tugged once more from its spot in your chest. Lust did the only thing he could think of to keep you from Falling Down.  
He used his healing magic.

Directly on your soul.

 

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You had felt a soft, gentle warmth as you had finished healing Lust. That's the last thing you remembered. You could just.. feel yourself growing weaker. But it didn't matter, because that soft, warm feeling was all you needed; and you clung to it.

The next thing you registered was.. something else. It was strong, like you had just had serveral energy drinks in rapid succession. It was strong, and very warm.. too warm.. it was _hot..!_ You whimpered, squirming in Lust's grip. You could distantly hear him hushing you, how it would be okay in just a bit; but your whole body was _boiling,_

"Hot..!" Lust looked down at you with pity, not that you could interpret that at the moment. He knew what you were feeling, because that is what he felt every day. He really didn't have any desire to put anyone else through that; but if it meant keeping someone _alive.._  
Was there even any choice at that point?  
He continued to pump energy back into your soul; his healing magic slowly (oh, _very_ slowly) but surely starting to close the large crack in your soul. When Lust decided that it would be okay (it was just a hair larger than when you had originally discovered it now); he returned your soul to its rightful place and easily lifted you up, creating a shortcut to the main room with the intent of dropping you off.. before he dropped himself.  
He had used most of his energy healing you, and even though it took a lot out of him; he was absolutely certain that he would do it again in a heartbeat. To see the color starting to return to your soul.. Lust smiled to himself as he stepped through the hole in the fabric of space and time.  
It was worth it. It was worth helping someone who was nearly at their end. Lust laid you on the couch, next to Stretch (who was watching the television; some space documentary from the surface. He turned down the volume politely when he seen your unconcious form), and Lust moved your short hair out of your face. His smile softened. He might have found something he didn't need to LOVE in the only way the others thought he was capable of doing. Stretch gave him a questioning look, but when you nuzzled against his hand; Lust pulled away. Your soul already recognized his energy.. it recognized him as something good. He really hoped you could be a human he didn't need to _fuck up_.. and not in the good way.

"You didn't already.." Stretch whispered, nodding towards your unconcious form, "..did you?" Lust grinned catishly, and Stretch made a look of disgust. Lust snickered,

"Nah. Teaching her healing magic.. things went south. She used too much energy," Lust responded just as quietly, shrugging. He decided to leave out the more severe parts of the session. Papyrus looked impressed,

"She can weild magic?" Lust nodded in response. Stretch gave you an appraising look, and Lust feigned offense,

"Careful, she might be taken." Stretch gave him a look of disbelief. Lust waggled his brows, and Stretch rolled his eyes and turned back to the television. Lust gave you one last look before making a shortcut to his room and hopping through; closing it just before he fell into his comfortable bed, immediately passing out.

 

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Waking up, you didn't really know what had happened. Cotton was nowhere to be seen, though you certainly weren't alone. The new skeleton next to you gave a disgruntled sound as he noticed you were awake.  
You let out a pitiful whine. You were _exhausted_. Everything hurt. You wanted to sleep for the next hundred years.. then sleep some more. However, your body said that it had taken all the sleep it could manage; so you were left with sore muscles and a massive headache, laying on the couch with your head near this strange new being. You try to sit up; not even bothering to hold back the sound of distress and sheer agony that was moving. Your head was pounding _and_ swimming now, fantastic; it can multitask!!  


You could feel him watching you.

"S..orry.. trying.. to give you space.." You slowly scooted downwards; your shirt riding up a bit as you gained some distance from the stranger. You didn't bother trying to fix it; it wasn't worth the effort and pain. And if the residents had nothing better to do than make fun of your skin (and fat that your couldn't ever get rid of), then let them have their entertainment.  
When movement next to you jostled you slightly, you whimpered softly; grateful for when it stopped. You were trying to fall back asleep when you felt something being draped over your body. Peeking one bleary eye open, you noticed the skeleton that had been next to you setting down again. You barely held a second sound of displeasure, and you heard him whisper,

"Sorry.." You briefly shook your head; immediately stopping when you processed that it hurt to do so, instead responding quietly,

"Don't be.. 's fine.."  
There was a long, silent pause. A very awkward moment indeed. You decided to ask,

"What's y.. your name..?" You couldn't see him, but the atmosphere felt a bit strained.

"Papyrus. But everyone calls me Stretch here," he must have been scratching his face or neck; you could hear the scrape of bone against bone.

"..I'm (Name).."

"Nice to meet ya." You nodded once,

"You too.."  
Another long, awkward silence.

"..hey.. Stretch..?"

"Yup."

"..thanks for.. thanks for the blanket.." You yawned, and right as you fell asleep, you noticing the atmosphere had seemed to become lighter.. light enough to cause some drowsiness.. Just.. a little..

Papyrus hesitated a moment; uncertainty crossing his face even as he noted the steady rise and fall of your chest. He risked patting your head twice, murmuring,

"No problem, kiddo."


	14. The Two Types Of Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Lust become a bit.. closer, in the worst way possible to your mental state.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Do n o t comment on the beginning part of this chapter. I did this for stress relief; not for you guys to tell me how fucked up my life is.**
> 
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> ..other than that, I needed a little fluff. Expect another chapter in the next few days.

Waking up, you stretch.. only to notice something's off. The first instinct you have is to look at your arms; and you notice right away: all your scars are gone.  
_All_ of them. You begin to panic as you desperately look around.

 _'Where.. am I..?'_ The surroundings seem familiar, but.. also seem so old; like you hadn't seen them in years. It brings you a sense of calm.. and also an underlying sense of dread that something is about to happen. It clicks suddenly, and you realize that you're in your old room, from the house when you were fifteen years old. The old pink and red-pink walls that you had found hilarious when it was finished; if only because your mother said that it had looked like the Easter Bunny had thrown up in your room. _And for whatever reason your fifteen year old self found that hilarious at the time, but anyways-_  
Moving towards the shelves, you ran your index finger over the wooden boards, then brought your hand closer to your face to examine the ungodly amount of dust you had always allowed to build up.  
..you never did like dusting.. you had used to own so much junk on your shelves that you didn't want to move to dust.. so much _work_..

Glancing up, you notice all of your items and toys (junk); easily spotting and pulling down Pinto, the stuffed horse you had when you were only seven or eight.. maybe ten, at the latest. The point was; that you loved that stuffed animal more than any other.. not just because it was a horse! Well.. that's a lie. But still!! You loved it because it was Pinto; the black and white horse that was twice as big as your head. You always slept with him at night, at least until you were thirteen.. or while you lived with your father. You didn't take Pinto to your father's home for fear of having him taken away, or losing him. For the better memories, however, you find yourself smiling as you dusted it off carefully and put your stuffed horse back on the shelf.

When you were much smaller, you remember that you had tried to give all of your toys equal amounts of love; not understanding that they were inanimate and couldn't feel loneliness or jealousy. Looking back at your younger self's actions, you realize that it was all kind of.. pointless. There was no way your would be able to love so many different things with an equal amount of care; you would have been spread too thin, and either stopped caring about a majority (if not all of them) altogether, or fallen into despair anyways. Thankfully it was former, though years later you still completed the second, unbeknownst to your younger self. Still.. the amount of dedication and hope you used to possess as a young child.. astounds you. You shake your head with a small, amused smile; grateful for the brief trip down memory lane. Looking back at your bed, you notice that it's a jumbled up mess.. which meant, even though it was a memory; you still hadn't made your bed. How unsurprising. As your eyes scan over it, your small smile turns into a large grin as you notice the long-forgotten blanket among your wrinkled sheets. You take the few steps required to reach your bed just to run your hand over it. It was a bit rough from so many years of use; but it was still your favorite transformers blanket. The design was the same and everything. Your smile fell when you processed your next thought, however, and you crossed your arms to ponder it. _'This is a memory.. isn't it? So what memory..?'_

It was then that a heavy feeling overtook your body, as though you were trying to swim through Jello. If you had to try to describe the feeling that overtook you, for what was about to happen.. it would be dark, ominous, or malicious. Suddenly, you notice your body start to move on it's own accord; taking control so that you could only watch what unfolds through your own eyes. You find your body walking back towards the shelves, just to make a slow arch in your path, to the left, and towards the door. You don't like the feeling of what's about to happen.. you can't put your finger on it; but it's just out of your grasp and it's something you _can't bear to remember-!_  
As your own body reaches up an arm and grasps the doorknob in it's smaller, smoother-than yours-skinned hand. It opens the door and steps out, legs carrying you as you walk out of the room against your better judgement (and your will), and around the corner. About forty-five degrees to your right.. is your older brother, sitting on the couch playing Minecraft.

You can feel your blood run cold. You try to fight, scream, do anything; yet it's as if you're a ghost in your own head. _'Stop!! I don't want this!! Please, don't make me go through this again; I can't, I can't-!!'_  
Your legs start moving in the opposite direction you want to go, out into the living room with much more confidence than you felt at the moment; and you felt yourself sit by your brother. Watching his face, you can see that he's too engrossed in his game to pay you any attention. The only indication he gave that he even acknowledged your presence at all was the furrow in his brow.  
You speak.. but it isn't anything you want to say.

"I wanna play."  
_'No, I don't; get AWAY from me!!_

"No. You steal my videogames all the time."

"I'll let you touch me." You can only watch in horror as you notice that you're starting to lay down. Your older brother finally tears his gaze away from the screen..  
..you want to throw up from the perverted, predatory look he's giving you as he rakes his eyes down your prone form. He's debating whether it's in his best interests or not, you're sure: and by best interests; you completely and firmly believe that he's thinking with his dick.

"As long as moms not home though," you feel yourself speak, "I don't wanna get in trouble."

"Fine, you can play. But I get to put my finger in you."  
_'No! Please!! I don't want this..!'_ You're practically hyperventilating now, yet unable to move a single muscle. In your own head, trapped, you can feel it. This.. this is true fear, not felt in the moment of the memory; but in the life events you felt as you had grown older and realized what you had _done_ to him..  
_'This.. this must be hell.. I deserve this.. I.. ruined him..'_ Withdrawing into yourself as best as your could; you let your anguish and hopelessness take over your mind.. and you didn't even remotely try to fight the events you knew were coming.

After he passes your younger self the controller, you can feel the soft skin of your brothers unworked hands grazing under your shirt and across the skin of your stomach. He none-too-gently pulled up your shirt and training bra in a few jagged motions, just under your chin; exposing your barely-developed breasts. Then he slowly, gently wraps his larger hand around your left breast, hand easily engulfing what was there as he starting squeezing it carefully; in some sort of cruel mockery of passion. He starts suckling your other breast, running his tongue over the nipple a few times. Almost all of your breast fits in his mouth, and the slimy sensation..  
..it _disgusts_ you.  
_'I did this..'_  
You suddenly notice a sharp pain in your right breast; and your fifteen year old self takes action, if only through words.

"Stop biting me!"

"I'm only sucking," and with that he goes back to it.  
_'I'm so sorry..'_

You can feel his hands suddenly moving to your jeans and panties; his mouth still manipulating your under-developed mound, and he starts to pull them down forcefully, fumbling a bit. You don't even pull down your shirt and bra when he finally pulls away; satisfied that your underwear was moved down far enough. He inexperienced started to rub at your clit a few times; then moved on to sliding a single finger inside of you. Obviously not knowing what he was doing with the former option, he decided to slowly start to finger-fucking you.  
And your fifteen year old self? Just stuck to the videogame on the television, not terribly affected by his actions.  
_'It's my fault,'_ you internally whisper to yourself.

The small amount of just-starting pubic hair doesn't seem to faze your older brother, and after watching himself fingering you for awhile; he went back to sucking one breast while kneading the other. He seemed to have a preference for sucking your right breast, looking back at this memory.  
_'It's.. my fault..'_

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gasping awake, you look feverishly around your environment. You're drenched in sweat; but your body seems to be responding to your mental orders now, you note; as you clench and unclench your right fist against the couch cushion you were resting upon.

"Hey, pal.. uh.. have a bad dream..?" Your entire torso shot around so fast from your position on the couch; your glasses flew off your face and landed at the feet of the speaker. Sitting next to you on said couch, was a tall skeleton that reminded you of your Papyrus. He was kind of blurry without your glasses; but as he bent over to retrieve them, you noticed he was wearing an orange hoodie. He was also smoking something; judging from the red occasional beacon you seen next to his face.  
..why was he familiar, again?

"So, uh," he handed you your glasses, and it wasn't until you put them on that you realized your cheeks were wet. "..wanna talk about it..?" He shrugged lamely, obviously not comfortable with this scenario. You quickly look around the room, for anything to tell time (or a distraction); but find nothing. With your glasses on, you could see his awkward expression that much more clearly, and you mentally cringe.  
_'It's okay, dude.. I don't wanna be around me either..'_

He seemed to study you, albeit sneakily, from the corner of his socket. You bristled a bit; with your clothes rumpled and creased all over from sleeping in them, you felt more than a little self-conscious. As you opened your mouth to tell him off, no words came out. The feeling of intense anger suddenly vanished, and the wave of such extreme sadness came over you that replaced it had you gritting your teeth as you curled into yourself; until your head rested on the cushions, and a few more tears slipped down your forehead.  
The pain. The sorrow. The fear.  
The _regret._

"Hey, woah-" You could hear him moving, and after a few minutes (you were positive he was still hesitant to be near you), you could feel him rest the fingers of his hand on your back. You forced all of your adrenaline and fear into your legs; and with the sudden propulsion you had managed to gather enough force to throw yourself backwards, completely clearing the side of the couch away from the skeleton as he tried to reach out for you--Stretch. That was his name.  
Landing was the hard part. You hit the floor on your upper back, rolling back over the damaged shoulder and once over your side, and you stopped in a slightly sitting position. You're pretty sure the 'pop' you heard was your shoulder dislocating.. you wouldn't feel it now with all the adrenaline; but later it would probably hurt like hell. Looking back up, you notice the large, slightly surprised, owlish look upon Stretch's face. Then he abruptly stood up; and as you seen him move, you moved.

Sprinting down the hallway with a dislocated shoulder wasn't exactly how you wanted to spend your morning. As there was no one else around; you figured it must either still be pretty early, or very late. You passed a single version of Sans; who of which you only caught their surprised expression on their face, not noticing any other details.

"Kid, stop! Hey, I'm not going to hurt you!!" Appearing in front of you, he almost caught you, but you ducked to the left. You kept hauling ass as he popped up in front of you again, and this time you faked to the left only to roll under him. The hiss of pain you let out apparently didn't go unnoticed, because after Stretch had tried to stop you from going left (right as he realized you were ducking under him). He made every apparent effort to grab behind himself, and missed you by inches; getting a hand full of air. You felt the disturbance in air flow against the skin on the back of your neck, and it made your neck hair stand on end. You picked up speed again, noting the soft curse from behind you.  
You didn't hear the sound of rapid foot-fall until it was too late.

A pair of longer, skeletal arms enveloped you around your elbows, and as they tightened, it nudged your shoulder painfully.

"Augh!" As you cried out in pain, Stretch immediately let you go, only to realize his mistake as you took off again, holding your arm to keep from jostling it anymore than you had to while running. He obviously didn't know what he was doing; letting you go like that. The first Sans-your Sans-had put more effort into capturing you. Then again.. you didn't have a dislocated shoulder, either. Come to think of it; it was the same shoulder that you had bruised trying to flee the ruins. _'The fuck is up with the universe and damaging my left side?!'_  
Your legs had started aching; and you wanted to stop and rest but dammit if someone wasn't always chasing you. Especially when you wanted to be left alone. Your feet hurt almost as bad, and that would be a problem if you couldn't walk. Stretch appeared in the hallway in front of you one more time, hands in his hoodie pocket and a stubborn look over his skull. You knew you couldn't dodge him a third time.. so you stopped as quickly as your could; back-tracking and taking a right. Stretch re-appeared with a slightly more calm look on his face, yet his hands remained in his pockets.  
This time you didn't have to dodge him-there were stairs to the left. Flying down the steps two at a time; you didn't notice why he was so calm until you reached the bottom.

There were so many Sans' that you stopped dead in your tracks; and everyone of them stopped talking and trained their eyes on you as they noticed the commotion you had made.  
There had to be at least twenty of them in this large sitting room; though most of them were gathered around some sort of table. Not to mention the few Papyrus' that had joined the fray. Taking an uncertain step back from all the attention now trained on you, you ran into a solid wall and promptly grit your teeth from the resulting shoulder pain. When you turned around, there stood Stretch; at the base of the stairs and blocking the only usable exit. He watched you with one hand holding his cigarette, while the other remained in his pocket. Looking around, there were two other exits, but one was on the other side of the crowd of mostly Sans'. The other you suspected was just an archway into a side room, considering the countertops that looked suspiciously kitchen-y.

You took a step back from Stretch, yet still keeping most of the distance between you and the crowd.  
One of the Sans' you couldn't see broke the very tense silence.

"Stretch? Aren't you supposed to be watching her?"

"Why is she here?" A different voice added.

"'Ey, look, she ain't doin' so hot," a nearby, taller version of Sans' who wore an entirely too short black jacket (and had a cracked skull?) jerked a thumb towards you as he sat in one of the chairs. However, he didn't look as if he particularly cared one way or another. As you noticed his yellow eye lights trained onto your smaller form in a way that..  
..in fact, the way that most of them were looking at you..

You felt their _**Judgement.**_

Panic was the first emotion to spike through your veins.  
_'I can't. I can't do this. This is too much.. I need my blade; and-'_ As you felt your back pocket, you remembered what untimely demise your blade had suffered. Thankfully, you went numb at this revelation, and you started to emotionally shutdown.  
The murmuring of the large group was drowned out by your thoughts, until a higher, lighter-sounding voice cut through.

"Let me through!!" A couple Sans' looked like they were forcefully being pushed aside as a smaller-than-usual Sans pushed past them. He was dressed in bright yellow and baby blue, and had a sort of crown on his head (which looked ridiculous and adorable at the same time, but you weren't going to judge); and a bright yellow cape to match. You wondered briefly if he was royalty as he walked up to you.  
Surprisingly-or not, considering that your emotions were currently on lockdown, you held your ground.

"I'm Dream!" He held out a hand for you to shake, but you simply stared at him with a blank expression. He shrugged, and moved on, "I noticed that your positive feelings.. were, well.. very low.." He shuffled his feet a bit, looking down, "..and then they disappeared entirely," he clenched his fists, "But..!" He looked up at you so quickly, hands in little fists, you're surprised he didn't get whiplash. "I'm gonna help you get back your good emotions, okay??"

Staring down at him, you slowly turn around and try to get past Stretch; which he sidesteps in order to purposely block your path.

"Rude.." Dream mutters.

A few snickers erupt behind you.  
"Rude!!"

"She's the one who blew you off, Dream.. shouldn't you be gettin' after her?" Black jacket spoke up.

"True, but-"

"Yeah, who's this little brat think she is, anyway?" Red, you think? Bringing your good hand to your head, you try to remember. "An' now she's playin' all hurt. Typical human trash." He tsked.  
Your head suddenly felt light, and your body felt heavy.. you kinda wondered if you were going to faint. 

"Easy, beautiful, I know just what to do to make you feel better~" Jumping a bit from the low, sultry and silky voice next to you (that reminded you of liquid sin), you hadn't even noticed the new figure that was standing next to you. His height indicated he was a Papyrus; but the only one you've seen wearing such scandalous clothes was..

"L-Lust..?" You cringed. Your voice sounded even more hoarse than you thought it would be; and it cracked too.. how embarrassing..  
The new skeleton only chuckled.

"YES AND NO. I'M HIS BROTHER, BUT YOU MAY CALL ME PINK." You thought about replying, but didn't want to risk sounding anymore stupid than you already did; so you just nodded dumbly.

"I'm going to pick you up now, alright?" Pink was apparently more than aware of your shoulder as he lifted you, and to Stretch's obvious surprise, you let him.

"Don't worry, Stretch.. he's just easy to read." Stretch looked at you doubtfully, but you couldn't muster up any fucks to give.

"NO," Pink grinned seductively, "I'M JUST _EASY._ " The group had a mix of groans and snickers, and Pink hummed as he carried you back up the stairs, only bumping your shoulder a little bit. You didn't want to make him feel bad by making a scene, so you just grit your teeth and bared the pain. _'I wonder how he knew about my shoulder.. Was it that out of place?'_ You looked down at your lap distractedly. _'Or did I just make it too obvious with my drama..?'_  
After five or ten minutes of walking in silence, you dared to ask one question that you've been wondering for a bit.

"Where-" You coughed a bit, covering your mouth and whimpering when your shoulder bounced from the action, and tried again, "Where is Cotton and Leather..?"

"They went back to their universe a few hours ago. After the run-in with Axe, Leather convinced Classic to let them go back."

You were.. stunned. Cotton.. Sans.. he said he wouldn't leave you..

"Ah.." Making a small sound of displeasure, you stared into the distance; trying not to think of all the people you've lost and betrayed like this..  
You would never know the soft, sympathetic look that Pink looked down and gave you in that moment, or how much he wished he didn't know exactly how it felt to be left behind.

"If it is of any condolence, Cotton was quite adamant about staying here to help you. Then Leather.. well. He picked up his brother and simply went home. I hope Cotton isn't too distressed," Pink stated softly.

 _'He didn't.. WANT to leave me..?'_ Shaking your head, you don't let yourself dwell on the thought, instead sticking to reality.  
"He shouldn't be. At least Leather has the right idea.."

Pink gave you a brief, worried look, but said nothing in return.  
A little longer of walking, and Pink kicked gently at a door, trying not to move you anymore than he had to.  
"SANS!! WAKE UP!!"

A loud thump was heard on the other side, and some strange sort of softer sound that didn't sound quite like rustling, but-  
The door flew open, and Pink resumed his quiet tone, while Lust rubbed his eye socket.

"She's hurt, Sans. I didn't think she wanted me to heal her; especially not in front of the others." Lust's eye lights scanned your form, and he nodded his skull further into his room; indicating to Papyrus to follow.

"Set her on the bed, Paps. We can both help her out." Pink looked mildly disconcerted with his brother's statement, but did as he was told as Lust shut the door. Setting you in a sitting position on the bed, he was sure not to bump your shoulder or arm this time. Then, he stood and turned towards Lust, who was just walking towards the both of you.

"Sans, I don't think-"

Lust shrugged, his thumbs hooked into his vest pockets; and nodded towards you.  
"Why don't you ask her?"

Pink looked down and you, and back to Lust in distress.  
"I don't think she's capable of making decisions right now, brother.."

Lust furrowed his bone-brows together in a knot of confusion.  
"What? Why?"

Pink fidgeted, "..because she's very distressed, Sans.. she was running away from _Stretch._ "

"Stretch can be a scary motherfucker. I don't blame her."

"Oh my god, Sans; you're only saying that because you tried to get into Blue's pants!!"

"Heh, he wouldn't been _blue-balled_ after I was done with him."

"SANS!!"

Pink sighed and crossed his arms, obviously forcing himself to calm down.  
"I also heard Geno talking to Nightmare.. I think that may be the main reason she's so.. upset."

Lust went ridged; then obviously forced himself to relax.  
"Well, there's nothing new. Two twats talking to each other."

The way Pink leveled his glare at Lust could've set someone on fire as he not so subtly gestured to you sitting right next to them; as if trying to tell Lust that you're obviously distressed, and you're china glass (of course), and can't handle anything ever.

Lust shrugged, unfazed, then turned his attention to you.  
"Don't worry, kid. I'll talk to them." The feral, almost over-protective seeming grin that he gave you almost made you smile.  
..but you couldn't just replace Cotton..  
Tears started forming in your eyes as you looked back down at your lap; a few escaping and leaving little dark spots on your wrinkled clothes.

Lust and Pink looked both appalled and concerned, respectively.  
"Kiddo, I didn't mean any harm, I'm sorry!"  
"SANS, YOU ALREADY MADE THEM CRY..! HUMAN, ARE YOU ALRIGHT??"

Glancing back up, you weren't expecting them to care so much for.. trash like you.. their concerned gazes while wearing such provocative clothing.. it was admirable, considering their universe.

"M..my shoulder.. hurts.." They both seemed to relax as you lied to their faces. There was just nothing they could do about Leather and Cotton, so you weren't even going to pursue it as an option. On the one hand; you couldn't believe how much of a emotional rock Cotton had become for you.. well, now you can, that he's gone.. you would never feel Cotton's strong hugs, or hear Leather's amazingly terrible jokes.. or be in their hair again..  
You started breathing deep, slow breaths to control your emotional breakdown. You had everything under lock and key so well; how could you be breaking down now..?! As more tears slipped down your face, you furiously worked to wipe them away.

Pink and Lust exchanged looks, coming to a silent agreement. Pink wordlessly moved to sit on the bed behind you, while Lust held onto your shoulder for a moment, wriggling it once. Giving a brief cry in pain, you sent a hurt, betrayed look casted directly at him. Lust moved his hands away from you and put them in the air, surrendering.

"Don't worry kiddo.. it'll all be better in five.. four.." You knew what would happen when it hit one. You were scared, you weren't ready-  
_POP_

"Aaa _AAAAGH!!_ " Wrapping your hand around the curve of your shoulder, you briefly brush your hand against Pink's as he removed it from your arm. You notice the pain ebbing much more quickly this time, and it was being replaced by something much more.. sensual. It made your body too hot, and you whined softly.

Lust looked a bit uncomfortable.  
"I think she's good, Papyrus."

It didn't stop.  
"Papyrus!"

It abruptly halted, and Pink quickly stood and left you on your own to let your body cool.  
"M-My apologies, human.. I hope your shoulder doesn't cause you any more troubles..! I.. need to go take care of something.. back in our universe??" Pink opened a portal, and very flustered-ly went through.  
You stared after his retreating form until the portal closed, breathing slightly more heavily than usual.

"What."

Lust snorted,  
"Yeah, he usually isn't shy. Must have something to do with your beautiful self~" He winked at you, where as you just rolled your eyes. He sighed, "We'll have to do something about that low self-esteem of yours."

"I don't believe in self-esteem. It's not a real concept; it's just stolen from pride."

Lust thought about this, then shrugged.  
"When you can admit you're adorable, then we'll talk."

"I'm not adorable."

"Heh, whatever you say, kid."

"I'm not! I'm ajar. I'm much too open to be a door."

Lust paused at this, then burst out laughing in not-very-attractive laughter. Or more accurately; he doubled over and laughed until he was wheezing and gasping for air.  
It could be kind of cute.  
You guess..?

You fidgeted.  
"B-But seriously though..! Why was your brother so..? His magic didn't feel like your magic.. and you two come from the same universe.."

Lust chuckled,  
"Yeah, we do _come_ from the same universe. However," sobering up, he made a gesture towards your chest, "We're all different monsters, and we all have our own magic, right?" You nod, and he continues. "Well, as I'm sure you've noticed among others; healing magic can feel like many different things. I've been healed by Paps before-er, Pink-and it didn't feel like anything, except a lack of pain." He crossed his arms and closed his eye sockets. "If I had to describe it as anything, I would describe it as soft. When _you_ healed me.. it felt like.. standing in the middle of a field on a breezy day? The breeze. Like an air current. Not hot or cold, but there. A pressure, I guess."

You looked down.  
"When he healed me, I felt hot.. like when you used magic on my soul."

Lust looked away at that; a violet blush appearing across his face.  
"Er.. yeah.. I didn't have much of a choice, with that.. you were kinda.. falling down. If I didn't heal you, you would have died. Speaking of, we should check on it now," pulling your soul out with little to no hesitation (you weren't sure how to feel about that, considering what he told you before), he examined it very carefully from a short distance away. It doesn't look any different to you, however: still the three colors, though maybe a bit more dull than usual. "Looks like it's doing better.. not as grey, anyways," _'Grey?'_ "I think your colors are getting brighter," he petered off, looking mildly out of his zone, "..hey, listen. I know my magic contains traces of LT-liquid lust-but I wouldn't take advantage of you like that. Even in my universe, consent is still-"

You froze.  
"I.. could have died if you didn't heal my soul..?"

Lust paused in confusion, gently placing your soul back into your chest.  
"Uh.. yeah? That's what I just said??"

Burying your face into your knees, you softly replied,  
"..then you shouldn't have healed it, you fool."

"..ah."

A sort of understanding filled the air between you two; and though you heard him walk over, you didn't lift your head.

"Hey. Look at me."

You didn't look up.  
"Pleeeeaaassseee..?"

You peeked up from your spot, noting that Lust had knelt in front of you. Taking you by the chin and tilting it down ever so slightly, he placed a chaste skele-kiss on your forehead.  
"I'm glad you're alive. I'm even happier I got to meet you. You're clever, bright, and beautiful," he gently pet your head with the same hand he had used to tilt your chin, "Even if you don't believe in that, believe in me.. because I believe that."

You only stared at him, and he sighed.  
"..can I tell you a secret? You're the first human that I haven't had the urge to fuck senseless on the bed-or floor.. or, well, anywhere; I'm not picky. Er, not including the first time, though.. That kinda happens with everyone," he snickers, then sobers once more, "..but the thing is, is that if I don't want to fuck you-which again; I cannot stress how very rare it is for me to _not_ want tail-well then.. I'll probably need to judge and kill you."

"I felt pretty judged earlier," you mumble, interrupting him. Being killed by Lust didn't sound too bad. At least he'd make it quick. Most likely, anyways.

"Oh, yeah? Did the they have glowing eye sockets?" Lust raised a bone-brow.

Thinking about it, you slowly nod,  
"I don't remember for sure, but I think a majority of them did."

Lust sighed, then pet your head again.  
"You're not the only one, kiddo." He waited a moment before continuing, "..you know, your past and mine are kinda similar. Don't get me wrong, I don't know the full story.. but I caught bits and pieces when I pumped so much of my magic into your soul. Magical backflow isn't without it's consequences, after all. I didn't even realize at first, I was so damn tired, but.. I guess that's why I want to keep you safe," he shrugged, seemingly unsure of himself, if only for a moment, "You remind me of a younger me.. without all the witty puns," he chuckled, "So, to put it into laymen's terms; I'm not going to judge you yet. You haven't given me a reason to; and without a reason, I don't have to kill you either. You're kinda lopsided in that human sort of way; but I can tell you're not dangerous, even if you try to be."

Hesitating for a moment, you think this new information over. Is he your friend now? Or was he asking to be friends? Or are your just two different beings; mutually living under the same roof? Even if you could be friends.. what about Cotton..? Sighing, you bite your lip and respond quietly.  
"..can I tell you a secret?"

Waiting for his reaction, Lust nodded, and you took a steadying breath before you continued.  
"..when I was in high school, I was in Karate during academy-which was basically the forty-five minutes that my school gave to kids in half of the school for lunch. I think it was because the school was too big to have lunch at one time, so the two halves took turns, I guess?? Anyways, that's not the point. In this academy, we were goofing off like always, and on this particular day, we were playing tag. Well.." You couldn't have stopped the small, sly smile on your face if you tried, and Lust grinned in return as he took note, but wisely said nothing, "My friend had been trying to tag me, and was almost upon me-he was faster than me, after all. But, see.. we usually trained in the wrestling room; and the mats were super-slippery when we wore our socks, so.. as he was just about to tag me, I let myself slide on my heel and fall backwards; and all I saw was his arm flying over me. When we hit the ground-he had fallen too; having expected to catch me, I guess-I immediately took off in the other direction while he was still figuring things out," you smiled fondly at the memory, "Later he told me that apparently, he was just about to tag me, when I just.. disappeared," letting out a single, short laugh, you shook your head, finishing the story, "My nickname from then on became Rabbit On Steroids. But I usually just went by Rabbit.." You awkwardly scratch at the side of your face as you finish, looking away from Lust; once again full of insecurities.  
After all, people would rather talk to you about themselves; they don't want to hear about you and your boring-

"Oh my god, kid, that sounded like a hell of a stunt to pull," he winked at you, leaning his elbows onto his knees, "I bet you were proud of that one."

You ducked your head shyly,  
"I.. I was, yeah. Now it's not as big a deal." You tried to shrug it off, but Lust wouldn't have it.

"And why not? Anyone would be proud of that quick thinking.. Rabbit." He looked at you in a way that seemed to ask permission to call you that. You thought about it.. and nodded.

"..you can use it.. but only you, Lust," you puffed out your cheeks, "And you better not tell anyone else..!"

"Heh, no worries, Bunny." He brought up his hands and poked both cheeks; causing you to inadvertently blow a raspberry at him.. and accidentally get spittle on his face.

"Eeewww..!" Lust wiped off his face with the back of his glove; grinning in a way that said he wasn't at all upset by it. If anything, he seemed amused.

You, however; were embarrassed to beat hell, hands unsure whether to assist him or fly to your face.  
"I am so sorry..! I didn't mean-"

"Oh, I think you meant it.. and you deserve to be punished!" Forming his skeletal hands into claws and looking up at you with a devious sort of revenge in his eyes, he pounced from his crouched position; tackling you back onto the bed and murmuring, "Revenge," softly against your ear before he licked the side of your face. Starting at a spot just above your chin line; he went over the side of your cheek and all the way behind your ear.  
Now, this would've only been a problem for the germaphobe in you, but you were kind of.. _sensitive_ there.

A small, high-pitched squeak broke out from between your lips; and you instantly covered your mouth with both sleeves as Lust leaned back to look down at you.

"..what was that?" Blushing several thousand degrees, you simply stared at him, wide-eyed in horror.  
He seemed to put two and two together, and his resulting smile nearly split his face.

"Oh, kid, you're joking," Lust brought up a finger to trace behind your ear, but you moved your hands from your mouth to swat his hand away; glaring up at him stubbornly. He only shrugged.

"Guess we're doing this the _hard_ way." With that, he swiftly moved his hands to your sides, digging his fingers into your muscles and ribs with ease. Your reaction was instantaneous, and you wriggled underneath him; almost throwing his lighter form off a few times as you tried to grab his smaller hands.

"St-Staaahhp!! LuST!! Noohoho!!" Finally grasping onto his phalanges, you started the process of getting yours to tangle your hands with his, neither of you noticing the door opening.

"Wow. This is better than what I was expecting."

Both you and Lust freeze, but while Lust looks unfazed by the newcomer; you bury your face into your hands; abandoning his altogether at the thought of someone seeing you doing something so.. stupid and childish.  
"Rude. Ever heard of knocking?"

"Well, I wasn't gonna disturb you two, but then I heard something.. interesting."  
_'Please don't be my nickname, please don't be-'_

"A squeal, I think it was? And it was _much_ too high for it to be yours, Lust.. I'm actually pretty sure I've never even heard you squeal. However.." You feel warmer, and you wonder how hard this newcomer is staring at you. "Y/N, right? Cute name. If you ever want to know what your real laugh is like.. well, it won't be hard to find me. I'm working on a list of Sans' right now; but I would definitely make time for a new, cute ticklish little human like you. Heh. Anyways, see ya around."  
You could feel small movement as Lust either waved or nodded, and your heard the door shut before you uncovered your eyes. You can feel your face burn hotter.

Lust noticed, of course, and grinned slyly at you.  
"Got a kink there, buddy?"

"What?! _No!!_ "

"Heh heh, whatever you say-ow!"

He laughed as he rubbed his arm, where you had lightly hit him; and currently glaring at him in irritation.  
Why did your life have to suck so badly??

"..are you sure it's not a kink? I was going to say earlier, that I'm not into you as a sex toy," he grinned lustfully, "I have plenty of those. You're just.. I dunno, someone I want to protect?" He threw his hands into the air in a questioning motion. "Don't ask me, because I don't know why myself. I'll still kill you if I have to; though right now you seem to be a pacifist. But seriously.. I know all about weird kinks-shit, I have some of my own-a _lot_ of my own, admittedly," he shrugs, "I just.. don't want to make you uncomfortable, you know?"

You were torn between feeling angry, cared about, and embarrassed.  
"That's very thoughtful, but.. it's not a kink. It's an innocent thing that I try to avoid because I'm not innocent. It's also childish, and stupid and dumb. Also?? I don't know how to even feel about people entering my personal space when I don't know them," you looked away, "..and even some of them that I do. I mean, it's cute how it can make someone smile.. but.. I'm not cute, and I don't believe I will ever be, so.. either way." You shrug.

Lust was silent for a moment, a stoic face before you noticed small tears building up in the corners of his eye sockets.

"..! I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" Unprepared for the sudden force that was Lust hugging you until you couldn't breathe; you lay there and take the affection that you literally couldn't fight off.

"Oh my god. Oh my god; you're precious."

You narrow your eyes dangerously at him.  
"It's a sin to lie."

He stuck his tongue out at you suggestively,  
"It's a sin to fuck every other thing that moves. Welcome to the club, Bunny."

"It's Rabbit."

"Bunny is so much more fitting on you though..! You try to be tough; but you're really just a softy."

You sigh, and let your head fall to the blankets as Lust finally moves off of you and onto the bed. He lay his skull on his pillow, and propped his legs on your stomach. You were surprisingly okay with this.  
"Hey, Lust?"

"Hmm?" You hesitated for a second, unsure if you should ask; but knowing if you didn't the coming question would eat you alive.

"..what.. are we..?" Lust only gave you a slightly confused and strained look, and you hurried to explain.

"Like, f.. friends..? Or.. um.." You fidget. You _knew_ you shouldn't have asked..  
Lust propped himself on his elbows and gave you a stern, serious look.

"Bunny, if you wanna be friends; I would be honored. And- _though I HIGHLY doubt it_ -if you ever wanna have a one night stand, or two, my bed is always open," he didn't smile, or wink. He was being serious; and your face went several shades of red. "See, the thing is: you had a shit childhood, no joke. I.." he fell quiet for a bit. It could have been a few moments, or a few minutes; but not knowing what to do, you just let yourself do what came to you naturally. Thinking about it, you found it a little odd that you were rubbing his tibula; but you were trying to comfort him, so for the moment, your brain could royally fuck off.  
When the moments that he needed to take had passed, he continued.

"I went through a lot of shit under the process of LT-Lust; in a liquid form-and while I wasn't.. a child.." he shuddered, and you kept rubbing your palm over his leg bones, brushing over the kneecap a few times, but going no farther, "It was pretty messed up; being one of the first to endure the first trials, watching other monsters merging souls in a way that shouldn't.. that shit is supposed to be private.. And god, the premature souls that.." his fist gripped the blankets; curling tightly until the leather started squeaking from the pressure, while his face had morphed into nothing short of absolute disgust. "..the way they _'stimulated'_ you if you fought the LT they shoved into your soul.. I watched, you know, as monsters learned to start using their magic to create whole new _appendages_ to satisfy their needs without producing a new soul.." Lust's voice grew quiet upon remembering the horrific scenes. "A few of them melted, you know. Most of the ones that did, melted while they were fucking each other senseless, thanks to that stupid LT." He stopped again, no longer as animate as before, "Heh, I'd rather not.. talk about it anymore, sorry.." He was sweating now, no longer keeping eye contact with you, so you hummed your acknowledgement.

It was an uneasy quiet that settled over the both of you, that slowly turned into a mutual, shared time to think to yourselves. You had stopped rubbing his leg awhile ago, not wanting to be weird.  
"Lust, are you okay..?"

Lust turned his skull towards you, a flash of surprise on his face and a stiff-looking smile was suddenly being sported.  
"Yeah, sorry; I didn't mean to just _fill you up_ with all that unnecessary information," his pun was doing a terrible job at deflecting the attention from himself, and you understood that completely. You took a moment to try to figure out how to alter the conversation, to help ease him.

"Well, after everything you've gone through.. you still respect other beings. And I think that makes you a really, really good person," you gave him a small, genuine smile. The first smile since Cotton broke your blade. Lust scanned your face and after a second, his smile morphed into something more genuine as well.

"Thanks. Means a lot.. friend." Looking at him in surprise, he finally winked at you again; to which you nodded silent acceptance to. You weren't replacing Cotton.. you were just making friends.  
..that thought made you a little uneasy, but you pushed it to the side; instead focusing your attention back on Lust.  
_'At least he's on the path to being okay again.'_

You fiddled with your jacket while he lay back down once more.  
"Hey Lust?"

"Who was that.. Sans..? Sounded like a Sans?? The one who barged in?"

Lust tucked his arms behind his skull.  
"Oh, that was Tick, he and his brother, Tingles, from the AU Tickletale. If you had bothered to look; you could've known what he looked like. But hey, don't worry. Your secret is safe with me," the tone that Lust was using was not helping your nerves.

You glance up at towards his face, in which he only looks back down at you smugly.  
"He literally walked in on us while we were.. uh, yeah. There's no way he doesn't know."

Lust suddenly sat up, the pressure from his legs squishing your stomach a bit.  
"Wow. You can't say it, can you?" You look at him as though he grew a second head. Lust grinned down at you cattishly, "Good to know. Also, buddy; it's not that he doesn't know you're ticklish-he'll totally be hunting you now that he knows, by the way-it's that he doesn't know you _like_ it.. well, with a few exceptions, I'm sure. He also doesn't know you can't say 'ticklish.'"

You blush a deep crimson, and no longer meet his gaze.  
"This is stupid. You're stupid. I wanna go home.. and it's not that I can't say it, I just don't want to."

Lust just lay back down and got comfortable.  
"Uh-huh.. keep telling yourself that, ticklish little Bunny."

" _LUST_ I am _GOING_ to _KILL YOU!!_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know who Meraki is, but Seriff seems most content when she is nearby..  
> This is my request to borrow such characters; rather than just stealing them (like I did Seriff--expect more of him, by the way).


	15. Decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Multiple points of view.  
> The plot is slowly starting to be revealed.  
> Introduces new, random character.
> 
> ..sounds like I've had a full chapter.

The night that Fell, Geno, Razz and Slim had decided to gang up on you hadn't gone as well as they had planned. As soon as they had seen you (mainly Slim and Red, surprisingly); they had wanted a little leverage against you.  
What they hadn't expected was your soul to look like it did.

Geno felt a strong sense of justice flow through his fragment of a soul. It was about time **h u m a n s** started paying for what they had done, so many times to the entirety of the Underground. He didn't see any LV on you; but that could _easily_ change, and it by no means meant that you didn't deserve to suffer. Especially if Ink was right and you came from a Creator source.. if that were the case, he might even have future plans for you. Thinking back on the events that just unfolded, if he played his cards right, he could get you to suffer while fixing your soul so that it wasn't on the verge of being torn in two. The way he seen it, is that at least the others wouldn't give him hell if he helped you in some way.

Fell was entirely disgusted when he seen your soul. It shouldn't be cracked in such a way unless you had been through fights, and come out the victor. And you, well. You didn't look like 'victor' material to Edge. At all. He was actually mildly offended by the fact that your soul displayed itself the way it did, looking for all the world as though it had gone through literal hell. _His_ universe was hell. _Geno's_ universe was.. slightly less hell, in his own opinion. But you? Fell couldn't fathom what you could have possibly fought to gain that much scarring. You didn't even have any LV.  
They didn't even have any dragons or immortals in the AU you were found in; so even extreme training was off the table.

Slim remained unsurprised; having suspected something was off about you the second he lay sockets on you. Your quiet form, blank stare.. you could probably be a fierce opponent, if you put your mind to it. When he spotted your soul, he briefly wondered if you had any LV; but upon checking found none. He was only mildly confused at first. Then, being the ever-observant SwapFell Papyrus that he is; starting formulating theories. A few of which were admittedly a stretch, and he threw many of them out as your actions proved against them. However, he did notice one of his theories that stuck rather well to you.. you might have suffered some form of abuse under another being; human or monster was unclear. However, the way you kept avoiding Cotton's kind words and actions as much as possible..

Razz had been the one to take it the worst, literally throwing up when he noticed your soul. He felt particularly weak in the embarrassing moment; yet.. he couldn't get it out of his skull. In his universe, he was the Captain of the Guard!! He _was_ the justice! The Judge! He had a whole shed filled with various tools (admittedly for torture, but nonetheless) used for punishing traitors and sinners!! When someone did something wrong; they answered to _him_ -except for Mad Dummy and Bob; the two major gang leaders who always had enough money to post bail before Sans could get to Hotlands. But one day he would get them!! Right now though.. this sense of justice he carried was making him still feel queasy, and he didn't know why. It irritated him to no end. You were just a human!! He could have taken your soul and freed the Underground in his own universe.. if it wouldn't get him metaphorically scalped for doing so. Least to say; with no LV.. he had to wonder what sin you had done to have that amount of scarring to your soul.

Now, after Razz had cleaned himself up, they silently convened back into Geno's room to discuss what had to be done.

"THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE HUMAN WILL SURELY DIE IF THEIR SOUL ISN'T TENDED TO BY SOMEONE THEY TRUST," Edge spoke while standing near the door to the room, to prevent anyone else from entering despite Geno's room being pretty far into the depths of the mansion. The distance from all the others that shared the home gave him some much needed privacy.

"Don't really see how that's a bad thing.." Slim slouched in the chair near the desk, while Razz and Geno stood near the table by the wall in between himself and Edge.

"Ink said there are already versions of us multiplying in the multiverse; and if we let this one die then all the other AU's containing this human will die as well; and by default.. all the versions of us." Geno added, writing down some notes for himself on several sheets of paper, with an on-looking Razz.

"IF THEY CANNOT TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, THEN LET THEM DUST," Edge scoffed, crossing his arms.

"It isn't that the other versions of us can't take care of it, Edge," Geno started, only to be interrupted.

"..THE HUMAN IS A CATACLYSM, FOOL. WITHOUT THEM; THE UNIVERSES' THAT ARE MADE AFTER IT WILL CEASE TO EXIST," the uncharacteristically quiet Razz finally spoke up, mentally grasping the situation at hand.

"Yes, but only until they fill out their role," Geno added. Razz narrowed his sockets at being corrected, but didn't pursue the argument.

"..what role?" Slim took a particularly long drag from his cigarette.

"I don't know," Geno shrugged, pausing in his writing to do so before putting his pen down, "But I know someone we can ask." His judgement eye turned blue briefly, the colors reflecting off the white wall in front of him at the thought of asking the true neutral in the game.  
The same person who was looking for, and after you.

Classic Gaster.

Fell frowned, Razz tensed, and Slim actually sat up.  
None of them felt good about this.

"In the meantime," Geno turned to look at them, one at a time, "We have to notify the others."

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Classic stretched; feeling the tingly bliss in his bones from waking up from a long nap.. and opened his sockets to the worst sight in the world.

Pink was grinning perversely down at him; standing less than a few feet away, with his hands on his hips and obviously watching Classic while he had slept in nothing but his boxers and baggy white shirt.

"What do you _want..?_ " Classic's tone betrayed the obvious irritation at the skeleton, even as he shoved his face into his pillow.

"HAVE YOU MET THE NEW HUMAN~? SHE LOOKS DELICIOUS," Pink stated matter-of-factly, and Classic only sighed in annoyance.

"No. I have not. _No,_ I have no desire to until after I finish napping."

Papyrus balked (though he probably shouldn't have been surprised),  
"YOU JUST WOKE UP!!"

"No, your creepy presence woke me up. Now get out of my room."

Pink huffed, doing as he was told, before he paused in closing the door, adding,  
"YOU MIGHT WANT TO WAKE UP SOMETIME RELATIVELY SOON. THE OTHERS ARE WONDERING WHAT TO DO ABOUT HER; AND INK, BLUEBERRY AND DREAM CAN ONLY KEEP THEM IN LINE FOR SO LONG."

Classic threw up one arm, giving a brief thumbs-up as a reply and letting his arm fall again; before he even heard Pink shut the door. After a few moments, he moved to rest his chin on his pillow, and stared at the bars on the front of his bed with irritation.  
Sometimes he hated being one of the Sans' in charge.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

When he finally got out of bed, Classic went downstairs to an appointment that Blueberry had made for him to meet the human.  
It went along the lines of..

-Classic was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the soft, gradually increasing sounds of Blue stampeding down the hallway.  
-Blue barged into his room, hurtling through the door (in a way that he must have done this a lot to the other resident Sans' and Papyrus' in order to nail the jump), clearly making his jump from somewhere in the hallway.  
-Blueberry practically flying into Classic, and Classic yelping and he and Blue both went airborne on the bed (a few times) from the momentum the Blue had gathered to tackle him.  
-Feeling sea-sick from how much they had bounced on the bed before it finally stopped moving.  
-And of course: the part where Blue had to explain everything twice because A) he was talking too fast, and B) Classic wasn't awake enough yet to understand him anyways.

And so, here he is; on his way to the kitchen to meet you..  
..yay..

He was just approaching the stairs down to one of the main rooms (he hoped he found the right kitchen this time; he wasn't paying attention to which kitchen Blue had said you were in), when Geno walked up to him, a somber look on his face.

"Sans. We need to talk."

Sans leaned on the stair banister and sighed,  
"I kinda have to keep an appointment, or else Blue will probably lecture me and/or try to hide my ketchup packet stash."

"Before you meet the human, you need to know their soul is destructive." Geno stared at him, sockets slightly narrowed.

This.. this got Classic's attention.

"..what do you mean, destructive?" Classic started becoming apprehensive. This wasn't what he wanted to deal with today.

"We're gonna get Sci to look at them, eventually-"

"Who's we?" Classic cut him off, and Geno only nodded before he continued, looking entirely unsurprised that Classic had asked.

"Fell, Razz, Slim and myself. We.. _introduced_ ourselves to the human already."

"Uh-huh," Classic side-eyed him, "And that had nothing to do with the way you guys have been avoiding them as well, right?"

Geno only stared at Classic behind his scarf; his face partially hidden as his eye light became a fraction of a size larger.  
That was all the hint Classic needed.

"You see, I heard some interesting things about Razz the other day. I don't think he's ever _avoided_ someone with any sort of hesitation," Classic smirked, drawling now as he carefully watched Geno's reaction, "It's almost like he knew something about the human that no one else did. Funny, since he never properly met them. Whelp, at least now that mystery's solved."

"Nonetheless," Geno pushed forward, Classic noted, "Be careful around the human. Their soul looks like it's about to Fall Down, and if it does, then finding them would be for nothing." Comic nodded gravely at Geno's words, tucking that information away as Geno turned to leave. He added one more thing over his shoulder before walking back the way he came.

"When we find Sci, we'll ask him to take a look at their soul. When we get the results, we can probably figure out why Gaster is so interested."

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

In another part of the mansion, a very irritated skeleton was trying to play his videogame.  
Or more accurately; trying to get his videogame _back._

"I swear, if you don't give it back I am going to put my foot so far up your ass-" Seriff reached for it again.

"We're skeletons. We don't have asses," a very large, taller version of Classic who felt like picking on one of the younger Sans' a bit shot back.

"Then how do we get so much tail?" Pink passed by the doorway, having overheard and thrown in his comment as Lust separated from his brother's side in the hall, clearly intent on watching the event play out. Tick sat in the chair to their left, comfortably watching the whole thing with no apparent intent of moving.

"C'mon, Bara," Lust supplied his Aussie friend, "Let the lil' guy play around a bit. You can't say he doesn't know what he likes." Lust winked at Seriff, who shot the smaller skell an amused glare while pretending to be offended, and Bara huffed.

"I don't know," Bara sighed over-dramatically, "I haven't picked on any of the younger Sans' for awhile. Felt like I should give 'em a _little_ attention."

"First of all," Seriff countered, "You're like one of the tallest Sans'-not including the god-types," Tick cleared his non-existent throat, causing Seriff to cast a glare to the only slightly taller Sans,' "Shut up, you're shorter than Bara too," turning back to Bara, he continued, "Legit _everyone else_ is shorter than you, you nine-foot fucker." Bara shot him a look, holding his game even further out of the Aussie's reach.

"Ya _do_ want this back, don't ya, shorty?" Seriff narrowed his eye sockets dangerously, then smirked at Lust. Lust picked up on the hint.. and so did Bara.  
Bara, taking a step away from Lust, held the game out of reach from Seriff while keeping a socket on the smallest Sans' in the room.

Then a door slammed open, and everything went to shit.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS UP!!" A human female, who appeared to be young, healthy and looked somewhere in her later twenties, came rushing into the room.  
Seriff smirked.

"'Sup, Mer?" At the sound of the name, Lust and Pink perked up as well, Pink leaning against the doorframe the entire time, and they both sauntered over.

"Hey, beautiful! Wanna find out how it's hangin'?"  
"Long time no see, dear Meraki~ shall we get.. reacquainted~?"  
Meraki paused, then wrapped an arm over each of their shoulders, grinning at them seductively as she pulled them closer,

"You know, it's been a long time since I tried to eat bones.. I wonder if they're still as dry and brittle as I remember~?" Both brothers went stock-still, abruptly remembering why they didn't flirt with this one, entirely too powerful being. Lust's eye lights disappeared, and Pink started to sweat uncomfortably as she pulled them even tighter.  
Then she let them go, laughing at their expressions.

"Remember your manners next time, boys," she grinned.

"W-We were just.. passing through, heh," Lust replied, while Pink rubbed the back of his slightly sore vertebra, and interjected for his brother, "WE WERE GOING BACK HOME, ACTUALLY. WE BID YOU FAREWELL."  
The two opened a dimensional door and scrambled into it with a largely unsurprising lack of suave-ness.

Meraki laughed again. When she calmed down and Seriff caught her attention, he used his skull to silently gesture at Bara; who hadn't met Meraki yet, but had heard much about her.  
Bara started sweating a bit, and Meraki grinned dangerously at him, only furthering the poor guys discomfort. 

"So, Seriff, making new friends~?" Meraki said, tucking her hands behind her back and rocking back and forth on her heels. She was trying to look as innocently as she possibly could..  
No one believed this act. Seriff, because he knew Meraki, Tick, because he practically mastered that look, and Bara because he had seen his own little Frisk do this all the time. They all knew something was up.

"..alright. I ain't dealing with this. All yours, kid." Bara passed Seriff his handheld game, and walked out, leaving the two. Tick wasn't far behind, having seen what the not-human was actually capable of from a distance.

"Couldn't get it back on your own, little guy?" Meraki teased her bestie a bit, while Seriff rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I _totally_ want to expose all my magic to every Sans I come across. I never want to have the element of surprise, _ever_."

"The sass is strong with this one," Meraki posed randomly, "But you have learned well, young skele-wan."

"That isn't even how it goes," Seriff scoffed.

"It is now."  
Seriff grinned at Meraki, seemingly the only person who could help him keep his sanity. Even his own AU was stressful af; as a prince, he never got to do what he wanted.. only being able to do his best for his people. He sighed as the ever-present thoughts returned to stress him out.

Meraki eyed her slowly-stressing friend closely.  
"Wanna go get high?"

"What- how do you even-" Seriff discarded his confused expression and threw up his hand, which still held his on-pause game. "I'm not even gonna bother finishing that sentence. I know I'll never know how you work." Meraki smiled secretively, holding a finger to her lips.

"The best don't share their secrets."

"I thought it was 'magicians don't share their secrets.'"

"Eh, that too. C'mon. Drugs. Bad decisions. They await." Seriff shrugged, and having nothing better to do, got Meraki and left the mansion via dimensional doorway.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I think it's about time we went to get Sci," Geno mentioned to Classic, who was currently trying to fend off his own Papyrus (he hadn't been willing to give up his name, which caused some tension among the other Papyrus' before their respective brother's calmed them down and they eventually (begrudgingly) got over it. Ink helped a lot here.) as well as Blue; having already stated how his skull was fine and he didn't need to be healed.

"That's great and all, but-" he disappeared, reappearing on Geno's left, in the corner. Blue and Papyrus shared a look of determination, before they both shot towards him, just for him to disappear and reappear on the next level of stairs. "Who's gonna go get Sci? You know he's stubborn; he's still-" Gone. Poof, now he was near the kitchen, carrying on with Geno as if nothing were happening, "A Sans. A younger version, at that, which means he's even more-so." Vanished.  
From somewhere behind him, not bothering to look because he wouldn't be there in a moment anyways; Geno heard Classic talking. "He's gonna need more than a human to be deterred from whatever he's working on right now." Geno noticed a couple blurs that were Papyrus and Blue, and suddenly noticed Classic in the hall; leaning against a door just out of sight of the over-energetic skeletons.

"Then we send someone to.. convince him." Geno offered, already having a mental list of the versions of themselves most likely to succeed.

"We can't let another one of us threaten him, Geno," Classic ran a hand down his face in irritation mixed with exasperation, "We still need to get him to trust us. He's still kinda new to the mansion, rememb-oof!" It seemed that Blue had finally managed to tackle to other and pin him down, while his brother tended to his skull.

Geno made a mental note not to gain the attention of either skeleton if he could avoid it. Sure they tried to heal his wound once. _That_ was fun. When they first met him, he was brought down so fast by the two of them his skull started spinning. But for all their good intentions, it ended up with him shouting curses at them while in extreme pain while they used up most of their magic resources.  
The bottom line: nothing was accomplished; so they haven't really bothered him since except to apologize and do small things for him every so often.

Finally letting him up, Blue moved off and Papyrus held out his hand, helping his brother up.  
"YOU KNOW, BROTHER, IF YOU HAD JUST LET US HELP YOU WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO RESORT TO SUCH DRASTIC MEASURES."

"YES," Blue huffed, crossing his arms and adding his piece, "IT WAS QUITE DANGEROUS FOR YOU TO AVOID HEALING. YOUR HEALTH DROPPED DOWN TO A POINT SIX!!"

"Yeah, yeah," Sans took his brothers hand, shooting Geno a look that said he was tired, and stood up, "Thanks for the help, you two."  
They both beamed at him, though it was Papyrus who spoke next.

"YOU'RE VERY WELCOME, BROTH-"

"Hey, Sans-er, Classic?? Whatever. I need to talk to you. Now."  
Looking to their right (Geno's left), the hall silently boasted a new member to their group.

Leather stood there, his tail lashing back and forth lazily as he stared down Classic with an intensity that made Classic tense up.

"Uh, sure, what'cha need, buddy?" Classic offered, trying to get this out of the way.

"I need you to open an AU door back to my realm," Leather paused, "I don't want another Axe repeat. This human is dangerous to my brother.. I won't let him get hurt." Classic sighed from Leather's words, having already seen how close Cotton was to you.. it wouldn't be easy to get him to leave without you. You couldn't leave. It just wasn't going to happen. Though, they still needed to find a way to keep you here before you were swallowed by the Anti-Void.. but that was a question for another time; when Sci got there.  
Classic hesitated.

"Have you told your brother?"  
Leather shook his head, and Geno watched the exchange carefully while Papyrus looked on in mostly confusion, putting pieces together silently.  
It was Blue who spoke up next.

"I've spoken to Cotton," he spoke softly, remembering how they were just making small talk while cooking together, and how sad the little angel was when he broke down in front of him; crying his little soul out about how scared he was for you. Blue had, of course, wrapped him up in his arms and consoled the version of himself, who was so similar that it left a pang of sympathy in his own soul. Blue grit his teeth, "He truly does care about the human.. and if you're a good brother, you won't take away something he loves so much." Blue looked up at Leather with a fierce expression; having a firm belief in his spoken words.

Leather looked surprised, for the most part, that a version of Sans' so close to his own was still defending you even though he hardly knew you. But that was it, wasn't it? Blue hardly knew you. Leather had the perfect defense for this.

"Blue, right? How does your brother act when you're near that.. _human?_ "  
Blue looked offended that Leather spoke of you like that, with so much venom and hate. Papyrus was mostly shocked, while Classic looked tense. Geno only narrowed his sockets; watching the situation ever-closer.

"THE HUMAN HAS DONE NOTHING TO YOU TO DESERVE TO BE TALKED ABOUT IN THAT WAY!!" Blue balled his little fists; practically shaking in rage.

"That _human_ had taken away everything..! Tch.. what do you know, with your perfect little life," Leather turned back to Classic, "We're leaving. One way, or another."

Classic had been about to reply, looking strained, when it was his brother who stepped in.  
"WHO ARE YOU TO DECIDE WHAT IS BEST?"

Papyrus had stood at his full height, and was the only one there who could match and hold the glare he received from Leather. Blue had glanced up to Papyrus briefly, a thankful glance in his large blue orbs before he turned them to glare back at the offending version of his friend. Classic put up his hands.

"Woah, woah," he walked out in front of them, clearly trying to diffuse the situation, "We are not pulling this right now," he looked at Leather, "If you have anything here-"

"I don't," Leather interrupted,

"-..okay, then get your brother. You're going home." Blue looked at Classic with nothing short of betrayal and anger.

"HOW DARE YOU!! COTTON IS TRYING HIS BEST TO HELP THE HUMAN, AND HE'S GOTTEN SO FAR!! YOU'RE JUST GOING TO DESTROY ALL OF HIS PROGESS!? HE'S NEARLY SOLVED THE PUZZLE THAT THE HUMAN-" Papyrus gave his brother an uncertain look, but said nothing as he placed a gloved hand reassuringly on Blue's shoulder pad. Blue started tearing up, saying no more, and Classic sighed, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets.

"Geno," Classic turned towards Geno, who had merely turned his attention back to Classic sharply in response, "Go make plans for a meeting," Geno nodded solemly, and disappeared. "Leather, you should find your brother."  
Leather disappeared, before coming back with a sleepy Cotton in his arms not a minute later.

"BROTHER..?" Cotton rubbed his eyes tiredly, while Blue shook his skull.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!!" Leather just gave Blue a look before nodding at Classic. Classic nodded in return, and made a dimensional doorway back into Leather's AU.  
Cotton noticed, and woke up immediately.

"BROTHER, WHAT-" Cotton spoke, and Leather swiftly walked towards it wasting no time. It clicked then for Cotton. He flapped his feathered wings; struggling for all he was worth against his brother's hold, "NO!! STOP! I'M NOT LEAVING WITHOUT (Y/N)!!"  
Leather had to pause, to get his grip back on his brother, before he struggled further towards the portal. It hadn't been made that far away; but with the way Cotton kept fighting him, it was a challenge to even take a step.. he almost lost his grip on his brother twice already.  
Realizing this himself, Cotton knew he wouldn't get free without some assistance.

"BLUE!!"

As if his name were a magic word coming from Cotton's mouth; Blue sprung into action. He jumped to tackle Leather to the ground, only to be forced into the floor. Looking up, he seen Classic holding out his hand; the blue whisping around left eye a clear sign that he was using magic. Papyrus, to his benefit, hadn't held Blue back (showing that he opposed the idea that Cotton should be separated from the human, even though that just forced his brother to use blue magic on Blueberry's soul). However, he wasn't assisting Cotton, either. Papyrus was reluctant to directly go against his brother's decisions; even if Classic's choices were questionable.

"NO!! BROTHER, LET ME _GO!!_ Cotton's struggling intensified; but now that Leather had struggled with him for a bit, he got Cotton in a firm hold and finally made his way through the portal.

"COTTON..!!" Blue reached out for one of his best friends; and watched as the doorway closed in front of him. He teared up, whimpering once and glaring at Classic with all the fury his little body could muster.  
Classic might have been mildly terrified if Blue was known for actually hurting others. He did, however, feel a pang of guilt for the tears free-flowing down Blue's face.

"We aren't going after them," Classic sighed, "That's an order. Leave them alone. Leather has already decided to be neutral in this; so we'll let him be neutral." With that, he let the magic on Blue's soul disperse, and Blue slowly stood up; his watery baby-blues staring at him with pure anger.

"I-I HOPE YOU'RE H.. HAPPY..!!" Blue hiccupped and took off down the hall, as fast as his little feet could carry him.

"BLUE..!" Staring after the little figure, Papyrus turned to look back down at his brother. He gave Classic a distressed look, looking like he was going to say something.. then took off after Blue.  
Classic sighed, rubbing where his temples would be.  
He _hated_ being one of the Sans' in charge.

 

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Dream paced around the back of the group of Sans'. It was late, but it was also normal for most Sans' to be up around this hour. A few Papyrus' were a part of the group as well, including Slim, who was smoking near the wall, Pink (surprisingly, since usually he would usually be sleeping like his brother after they got back from a trip from their AU, and was currently flirting with Slim), and Fell; who very clearly didn't want to be there. They were waiting for Classic to get Sci, and then they would start. It's already been two hours since Classic went off; and five since the meeting 'technically' started. Classic still hadn't returned. They were starting to plan a search party when you had come running down the stairs. Most of them had just stared at you in varying degrees of shock and surprise. Dream hadn't noticed until he seen everyone quiet down, and staring in one general direction. He tried to peek over them, jumping a few times only to glimpse you.

Dream stopped, however, to pay attention to Dance (who stood next to him, but was a bit taller, so he could probably see you better) when Dance asked,  
"Stretch, aren't you supposed to be watching her?" There was a silent consensus of agreement among most of the Sans,' and Death (who avoided the group, even further in the back, near the wall behind Dream) had voiced his own question of, "Why is she here?"  
Gaster-Sans (who Dream had discovered preferred to just be called 'G') had looked at you, obviously comparing you to his own version of Frisk. He looked a little concerned, but only barely. He must not have wanted to show it, Dream guessed. That, or he didn't want the others on his case. Then, G made his own remark.

"Ey, look, she ain't doin' so hot." Most Sans' (Fell and Slim already looked; and Pink wasn't about to) moved into Judgement mode. Dream simply couldn't Judge you (and he wouldn't have, at the moment, even if he could) from his lack of a soul. However, looking around and seeing the similar strained expressions on many of his fellow Sans' faces.. Dream grew nervous for your safety, even though Classic said no harm would come to you.  
..well, unless you tried to kill one of them. Then, well, Dream didn't want to think about that.

Dream did, however, notice that already a large amount of glowing eyes had taken its toll on you. It wasn't uncommon after all, to feel sometimes discouraged or afraid while under the gaze of the Judges, even if you were innocent.  
He wasn't, however, prepared for you to start losing all your (what few you had, anyways) positive emotions that he could feel. And then, as he glanced in your general direction, looking through the crowd rather than at it; he felt his eye lights vanish in fear and abstract horror as all your positive emotions suddenly _disappear._ He forced himself into action, not about to let someone else lose their positive emotions if he could help it.

"Let me through!!" Dream shouted as loudly as he could, shoving his way through the small crowd of Sans' around the table. After pushing Red, Error and Geno out of his way (catching but completely ignoring the looks of irritation from them), he rushed over to you and held out his hand. "I'm Dream!"  
The blank expression you wore wasn't a good sign.. Dream was starting to become worried when he noticed you tried to walk away, only for Stretch to block your path.  
Dream frowned.

"Rude.."  
At the sound of a few Sans' (and Slim, if what felt like Slim's positive feeling of amusement was correct) snickering, Dream looked over his shoulder and glared at the others pointedly, "Rude!!"

"She's the one who blew you off, Dream.. shouldn't you be gettin' after her?" G made a good point, but Dream couldn't be upset with you. Your rudeness was only because you lacked any positive emotions.

"True, but-" Dream was cut off by Red, who spoke with an irritation. The negative feelings Red harbored towards you were unfounded, and Dream found it mildly horrifying when he noticed that you harbored many of the same feelings towards yourself.. wait. Your feelings were starting to come back!! Dream didn't have time to ponder the reason they were mostly negative as Red plowed over Dream, verbally.

"Yeah, who's this little brat think she is, anyway?" Red paused, then continued with a tone of disgust, "An' now she's playin' all hurt. Typical human trash." Dream turned back to notice you were holding your head, suddenly concerned for you again. He was about to reach for you when Pink had come around behind you, looking just as concerned as Dream was, if only for a moment. Then Pink leaned into your ear and whispered.

"Easy, beautiful, I know just what to do to make you feel better~" Dream noticed your positive emotions pick up just a tiny bit, until you looked up and noticed Pink.. then they faded away. Dream wondered what that had been about, but knew now wasn't the time to ask.

"L-Lust..?" Oh, gosh, your voice sounded terrible. You sound like you've been crying, for a long time. Or screaming.

"YES AND NO. I'M HIS BROTHER, BUT YOU CAN CALL ME PINK," Pink mentioned casually, as if he hadn't just used his most seductive voice on you just seconds ago. You didn't seem fazed anyways; so he might have noted this and gave up for the moment, and continued in a softer, but not quite seductive tone. Dream didn't think he had ever heard Pink speak any other way, "I'm going to pick you up now, alright?"  
Glancing up to the stairs, Stretch still stood, looking nervous-but not half as nervous as Dream felt. You around either of the brothers from UnderLust was _probably_ a _very bad_ idea..  
You, however, didn't seem to have any issues with this arrangement.

"Don't worry Stretch.. he's just easy to read." Pink smirked at your words, then wore a seductive grin in its place, adding to your statement, "NO, I'M JUST _EASY._ "  
Most of the room ended up with snickers, but Dream himself joined the few that let out moans of displeasure. As he watched Pink carry you up the stairs, Dream let out a sigh, hoping you would be alright. Your positive feelings flashed for a moment, upon hearing Pink, so maybe..? Dream shook his skull. That was the best option presented at the moment, and he wasn't about to take it away from you. He was still trying to calm the tension between Classic and Blue. Blue had completely ignored Dream when he ran past him, all tears and sobs. Dream had to tell Stretch, if someone else hadn't already.

"Stretch?" Dream spoke up, and Stretch looked down at him tiredly, "..do you know where Blue is..?" Upon his questioning look, Dream realized he would have to explain. He scuffed the tip of his boot against the floor awkwardly, "..Classic and Blue got into some sort of fight. That's all I've heard. Papyrus had supposedly been trying to help him all day, but when I seen him, Blue just ran past me.." Dream deflated, remembering how Papyrus hadn't been far behind, "He was.. _very_ upset.."

Stretch stood stock still for all of a moment, obviously biting down on the edge of his cigarette.. then disappeared from sight; presumably in search of Blue. Dream sighed. There was one problem taken care of.

"Okay guys; we're in business," Dream looked up as Classic entered through a dimensional doorway, probably to Sci's AU. Sci followed after, looking around and calming slightly upon spotting Red. Dream didn't need to look at Red to feel his more positive emotions taking hold of him, instead of always holding onto those bitter feelings. Those two were good friends, that was for sure. Dream was glad they both had someone to talk to.  
Geno stepped forward, and Sci turned to him expectantly.

"Sci," Geno started, "We need your help.. and a few favors."


	16. Testing, Testing..

Sci mentally questioned the others.  
It wasn't common for them to just randomly take in humans, after all.. after all they've done to monster-kind.  
It was at this moment that Red unknowingly decided now was the time to inurrupt Sci's thoughts.

"Look, Sci, ya jus' gotta run a few tests on the bitch so we can find out what Gaster wants with 'er. Kinda don't want to destroy the multiverse or whatnot, yeah?"  
Sci didn't seem too pleased with this, and had made a move to speak before he was overtaken.

"RED, LANGUAGE PLEASE,"  
Red turned, having been ready to tear the speaker a new one when Papyrus stepped forward, and several different Sans' -especially Classic- nearly lost their cool. Several wondered how much Papyrus had heard.  
Papyrus walked over to Sci, bending his knees a bit so he didn't seem as intimidating, but he didn't look silly either.

"SCI, CORRECT? I KNOW ALL OF YOU WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE ANY OF US 'PAPYRUS'' KNOWING, BUT I IMPLORE YOU.. PLEASE USE CAUTION. WE CAN'T PUSH THE HUMAN TOO FAR IN HER FRAGILE STATE OF MIND."  
Papyrus spead his arms in an open gesture, hoping it would engourage their mercy that he knew his brother was capable of.

Classic sighed and looked towards the ground, closing his eye sockets. After a few moments he looked back up to Papyrus's pleading expression.  
_'Fuck.'_

"Alright, bro. I'll keep a socket over the tests personally, alright? Now, do you want me to read you Fluffy Bunny again, or-"  
Papyrus raised a gloved hand, effectively cutting off his brother.

"NO. I WOULD MUCH RATHER THAT ALL OF YOU GET SOME REST-EVEN A FEW HOURS WILL PROVIDE ME WITH SOME EASE OF MIND."  
Several others casted various glances at each other, all ranging from heartfelt to annoyed.

"Okay. Meeting's over; pack it up guys."  
Error growled.

"What? Are you serious right now? We haven't even talked about-"

"We'll pick it up in the morning," Classic cut him off, throwing him a dangerous look, "We're done here."  
As the group started to disperse, Red wandered over to Sci and they both started muttering to each other. Slim noticed, while pretending not to, and listened in from his place by the wall. He would eventually end up following them from a distance until Red noticed, and at that point Slim would just walk past them.  
Ink and Error would go opposite ways, naturally; while Death and G would enter their own AU's respectively.  
Dance, Dream and the others ended up going to various other rooms of the Mansion, not entirely wanting to go back to their own timelines quite yet.

It wasn't until Geno had left, having waited until most others had left before giving Classic a long, significant (slightly creepy) stare. Classic, apparently understanding, returned a curt nod and walked towards his brother, while Geno turned to catch up with Red and Sci.

"I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAD THIS MEETING OF SORTS DOESN'T MEAN YOU THINK YOU CAN SLEEP IN TOMORROW."

"Okay."

"I MEAN IT, SANS!! YOU LAZE OFF ENOUGH AS IT IS!!"

"Okay."

"..AND PICK UP YOUR SOCK WHILE YOU'RE AT IT!!"

"Okay."

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The next morning, you find yourself waking up on the foot of Lust's bed. He's nowhere in sight, but that surprisingly doesn't bother you.  
That much.

The reason you had even come back from the land of the dead was someone knocking on the door, and you sat up. _'Would it be rude to answer the door in someone else's room? ..more importantly, I wonder if they'll assume that Lust and I fucked. I'm sure he gets picked on enough without them teasing him about fucking the local human.'_  
You rubbed your face tiredly. You just woke up, you didn't want to deal with this shit already.

About having decided not to answer, the said stranger knocked one more time before opening the door.  
It was Classic. He glanced around before his eyelights stayed on you.

"Figured. C'mon kiddo; we gotta talk."  
You glanced around before turning your eyes back to him, and he got your point, sighing.

"We gotta talk.. somewhere else," Classic looked off to the side, poker-faced and apparently of a somber mood. Then he turned back to you as though nothing just conspired only a moment ago and grinned with a wink, "I generally like black and white, but that doesn't mean I feel comfortable talking in a room of excess of either."  
Understanding immediately, you stand, feeling marginally disgusted with having slept on Lust's bed.  
You hope he washed his sheets before you slept on them..

"C'mon. We're gonna be late."  
Classic held the door open for you, then closed it behind him before leading you down a familiar hallway.

"So.. where are we going..?" Trying to make small talk was better than the silence.

"Not too far," he guided you down some stairs, through one of the main rooms and down two more hallways before he muttered the rest of his sentence, "Just gotta find out a few things."  
You shivered, having a sense of fear rush through you.  
..that was different.

You were about to try for conversation again, but before you could open your mouth, Classic held another door open for you, and this time they led down some concrete stairs.  
Not very well lit, steep, narrow, concrete stairs that led down into the darkness.

That's a lot of fucking stairs.  
Classic expected your hesitation that followed.

"Hey, at least we don't have to climb them," you looked at him with confusion, "Trust me, they're worse when you have to climb them," another wink, "They're always _up_ to something."  
You sighed through your nose, though the corner of your mouth twitched, and you kinda knew you were fucked.

This wasn't funny, you weren't smiling--glancing at him, you found your former thought right.  
He looked entirely too smug as he nodded towards the stairs.

"Don't worry, this stone isn't as spooky as it's _cracked up_ to be,"  
You glared at him, much more successful in disposing of the twinge of mirth as you walked towards the stairs.

"Can you not-" ..you missed the first step.

"Tread carefully. I know the Anti-Void doesn't have seasons, but I don't think it's quite _fall_ yet."  
Guess you should be thankful that he grabbed the back of your shirt, but..

"If you don't stop, I'm gonna make sure you have a quick _trip_ down here yourself, Sans."  
At first, there was silence. Then there was a quiet snickering behind you that your could easily identify.

"Wow, kid. You're a natural." Classic had hoisted you back up, only letting you go after he made sure you were steady. This time you ignored him and let your hands graze the walls as you -carefully- tried your decent again, silently kicking yourself for letting yet another version of Sans know you have even a remote interest in puns.

The time that passed was spent in silence, which only seemed to make it last that much longer going down the trecherous stairwell. There wasn't even a handrail, like for the rest of the house.

By the time you reached the bottom, your legs hurt from all the surprise excercise today. You also noticed you weren't alone: Red and a shorter version of Sans' in a labcoat and glasses were there; along with another version of Sans you had glimpsed the other night, but didn't know the name of.. he was tall, wore a slightly too-short jacket and had two cracks in his face.  
Beside them was equipment much to complicated for you to even remotely try to understand, even if you wanted to.

"Alright," Classic brushed past you, "Let's get to work."  
Classic turned to look at you, and waved you over, to which you unsteadily followed, closer to the machine that you couldn't wrap your mind around. Classic gestured towards an electric chair, which had leather straps on the arms and legs. However.. upon further inspection, there was no silver bowl at the top, which made you question if it was an electric chair, like you initally thought.

"It's okay, kid.. just take a seat, alright?"

 _'Even if it does kill me.. isn't that what I want? What I deserve..? So there really isn't a disadvantage here.'_  
You sit, and Classic kneels down in front of you.

"I need to make sure you're properly secured. I know this is gonna sound a little scary, but-"

"For fucks sake, Classic, stop coddlin' the bitch an' jus' tie 'er up!" Red shouts from his spot, throwing down one of his tools as he turns his scowl on Classic.

"Red, I would really rather not have something go wrong with my data results. This is the best course of action, so while I understand your eagerness to discover the results, I must ask that you don't cause any unnessassary stress, or we might have incomplete data."  
Red just huffs from Sci's light scolding, turning back to what he was previously fiddling with while casting rather nasty glares your way.

"Whatever.."

The one with a cracked face walked over, he hadn't introduced himself, you supposed, and stared down at you while Classic wrapped the leather binds around your wrists and ankles.

"..name's G. I'll be the one probing your soul today."

That.. that was not what you were expecting. You were admittedly expecting electricity, or something else equally painful. Needles, perhaps.  
But someone going into your..?

That was _not_ okay.

"Wait, what? No. No. You can't.." rambling, you noticed Classic didn't look at you as he stood, "You said we were going to talk! Nothing like.. _this!_ "  
Classic didn't respond, didn't even glance back in your direction. He instead spoke in hushed voices with Red and Sci.  
G just stared down at you, with no expression whatsoever.

Betrayl.  
..again.  
You find that you aren't even surprised anymore as you let your shoulders and back slump.. you just have to be non-responsive to emtotions and do what they tell you.  
..just like in the hospital.

The labcoat Sans came over and jotted a few things on a clipboard. Then he reached beside you and took a hold of a handful of cords with a dome-shaped end. He tugged the front of your shirt down a bit as he started applying several cords to the skin on your chest -around your soul, you would imagine- pushing on them until the rubber dome was flat against your skin. He placed three more on your head- one on your right temple, one on the left temple, and the last behind your left ear. The gel that held them in place made your skin itch and pulled slightly on your hair. He hadn't even bothered to introduce himself first. Rude.  
You let him do as he pleased anyways. It's not like you could have stopped him.

"Alright, G. Sit, and I'll hook you up."  
A shuffling was heard, but you couldn't be bothered to turn and watch as the same thing probably happened to the one about to dissect you from the inside.

As Labcoat walked back to the monitored area, he held his hand over a switch.  
"Test run Number One.. commence."

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Classic felt sick. Was this similar to what his Gaster had done to humans..? God, he hoped not. Sans was nothing like.. _him._ Least to say, he didn't exactly feel great to have tricked you into this. They needed to figure out why you were important to his Gaster. The main Gaster. The one who had practically lost his mind at this point in Sans' life.. and well, even if he _hadn't,_ he was _definatly_ not the same Gaster he had grown up with and considered 'father.'  
Classic silently sighed and turned to look at the screen that flickered to life, focusing on a blurred shape that looked -expectantly- like you. Sci was already scribbling away on his clipboard, seemingly focused on the ordeal as a whole; while Red watched with his usual scowl. Classic noticed Red was sweating a little more than usual. He must be nervous.  
..so was Classic.

G was really the one taking the biggest hit here. Sci himself had mentioned earlier that they needed to find a Sans (because it went without saying that it wouldn't be a Papyrus) that was compatible with the SOUL, so that they could subconciously enter it without interfering with its natural flow of magic. At the same time, they needed someone who knew how Gaster's mind ticked.. and, well.. there was really only one version of Sans like that.  
The only problem was that there was no way to find out how G would affect the soul until after an introduction into it.

Classic could only hope that this would end alright..

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

As you woke, you noticed everything around you was.. white. Were you back in the Anti-Void? Where were the others? Did they throw you out of the mansion?

"..'ey. Kid."  
Turning, you spotted one of them to your left. Your face scrunched up. You recognized him.. but..

"Name's G, remember?" He pushed his thumbs into his jeans, and it clicked. He was the one probing your..

"So.. you're in.. this is.. my soul?"  
He nodded and took out a cigarrette.

"Yup," lighting it, he took a drag before continuing, "looks pretty basic, too. Not that I've ever done this before, but.."

 _ **Can you not smoke in my soul please. Well, I guess I'm already corrupt enough, what's a little smoke matter..**_  
That.. sounded a little different somehow..

"Wow. That's a bit dramatic, isn't it?"  
You tilted your head at him, raising an eyebrow.

"First of all, this isn't my real form. It's my subconcious. Therefore this isn't a real cigarrette."  
It clicked, and you felt a hot wave of embarassment flood over you.

"S-Sorry.. I.. didn't know I said that out loud.."

"You didn't. I can hear your thoughts while we're connected.. or more accurately, I can hear what's emmanating from your soul," he gestured around himself, "So all this negativity is something I can physically sense. Your embarrassment. Your disgust. Anger. Hurt."  
You didn't want to talk about this. This is not something that's happening right now. Absolutely not. You didn't respond other than a glare.

"Calm down, your walls are suffocating me."  
When you continued not speaking, he walked closer to you, taking the few steps needed to stand in front of you.

"Time to get down to business then," he scratched the back of his neck and looked off the the side for a moment, "This is how it's gonna go. I'm gonna ask you something, and your soul will hopefully respond. You don't need to say anything." He put a hand on your shoulder.

"Then why am I even here?"  
G shrugged.

"Maybe defense, to keep an eye on the other subconcious in your soul; maybe because you're gonna be the 'outlet' your soul needs to create or show a response. There could be multiple reasons."  
He took his hand back, putting his thumb back into his jeans. You looked to the ground, not feeling much better either way about it, but at the same time deciding that it doesn't really matter.

"So, kid.."  
Here it comes.

"Why is Gaster so interested in you?"  
Straight to the point.

You curled in on yourself slightly as you let out a strangled cry of pain. Your soul was bringing up the last interaction with said being, and suddenly you were both surrounded in a dark gray room.  
The door opened.

"H.. Hello..?"  
It was.. you.

*Okay, brought you what you wanted. Where's my part of the bargain?  
And Chara, if you recalled correctly.  
Air hissed through G's teeth in apparent displeasure.

 **Welcome to the Void. Chara, you have done well. You will be free of this human momentarily. In the meantime..** A voice had come from your right.. yet all around..? Turning to look where you felt it more than heard it, you noticed your old aquaintance Gaster sitting in a small lump. His eyes passed over you and G -who you didn't catch the expression of- briefly, lingering on you both only long enough for you to be able to tell that he knew you were there.  
**I am sorry for the grief my sons have caused you; however, know that it was for your own good.**

Glancing over to your past self, you looked beyond furious, and Gaster spoke over whatever you would have said.

 **There are others you can help while I help this Universe become more.. accommodating to your needs.** As his eyes start to become a vibrant purple mix; you notice that there's one less person in the room now.

 **We will meet again soon..**  
Chara decided that it was this point that they ought to speak up.

*What do you want to bet that they didn't hear that last part?

**They have. Twice now.**

*Twice? What, did you kill them or something? Because I don't remember a reset-

 **No. That is the exact opposite thing that I am accomplishing here. Go now, Chara. You are no longer needed here.**  
Chara looked furious.. and then seemed to fade from existence.

Gaster turned back to where you and G stood, smiling eerily.

**You should also return. There is nothing else to learn he r e . . .**

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Even while Classic stood there, he knew his sockets were absolute devoid of light.  
Red had taken a step back, while Sci seemed to be trying to restore the connection.

Gaster knew.  
Classic, Red, Sci, G.. they all knew that he _knew_ that they had been watching him.

G had come to his own conciousness rather dramatically, gasping and standing up despite the cords still attached to him. He ripped them off quickly, popping the dome off of several. He was trembling, obviously upset from the encounter.  
They all knew that Gaster was dangerous, after all.  
..and G had been right in front of him.

Sci threw his clipboard onto the floor when all connection turned to static; signifying that the transmission was truly lost at this point, and sat in a nearby chair with his elbows on the desk and his skull in his hands. Red raised an arm to comfort him, but didn't step any closer to the large monitor they had all been watching, and subsequently, no closer to Sci.

Classic walked over to G, to hear him out.  
G obviously needed that, at least.

"..he knows."

"I know."

"He _fuckin'_ knows," G paused to light a cigarrette, "Creepy fuckin' old bastard.. he seen us, despite it being.. he shouldn't have been able to see us."  
Classic put his hand on G's forearm, not being able to reach his shoulder.

"I know. We all know. We watched," Classic hesitated, then pat G's arm twice, "Thanks for being the transmission, buddy."  
G sighed and took a few moments to take multiple puffs.

"Fuck that shit.." G was already pulling out another cigarrette, having finished the last one off in record time and flicking it into an empty, hardly-used trashbin.  
Classic silently thanked G, simply because Sci would flip out if they were littering down here again.  
..speaking of..

"Are you serious?! You know you can't smoke down here!! It could ruin the effect-"

You groaned, effectively cutting Sci off.

Whoops.  
Classic kinda forgot about you..

Swiftly making his way over, he gently shook you by the shoulders.

"Hey, kid, you okay?"

Classic stared in silent horror as the stuff that violently came from your mouth was black, and ended up all over his hoodie and shorts.

"What the actual fu-"  
Red was interupted.

"Move!"  
Sci pushed past Red and wrote several things on his clipboard before Classic knocked it out of his hands, glowering at him. Sci understood this hint and briefly ducked his head in silently apology, figuring he could save you first and jot down notes later.

Between the two of them, they took off the cords (and a small bit of hair, too), unstrapped and hoisted your unconcious frame over to a nearby lab table. Classic had placed them on their side to prevent asfixiation while Sci tried to get a tube into the lungs. After several convulsions, they managed, and Sci quickly got a few different sample jars to gather the black sludge that was being drained from your lungs.

"What the fuck."  
Red and G had stayed well away from the action. Red because he wasn't that great with the 'help saving' portion, and G because he was literally just in your soul.  
Classic took a moment to himself, then tried to think of an explaination for the unexpected circumstance.

"I.. think it was a warning," he got three incredulous looks and put his hands up in his defense before Classic pushed forward, "Hear me out. That.. stuff, it was obviously something from Gaster. We all know human lungs are closer to the soul than the heart. The soul isn't physical, right? And everyone knows it always sits right behind the sternum-"

"Unless it's Fresh," Sci corrected, earning a disapproving look from Classic.

"Anyways," Classic continued, "The lungs are closer to the soul than the heart; not to mention that if Gaster filled the heart.. well. She would have died. He specifically said that wasn't what he was trying to accomplish."  
G spoke up as Sci and Red mulled this over.

"..he didn't seem too pleased about us being there. Gaster wasn't surprised, but he certainly wasn't thrilled, either."

"Yeah, an' he ain't afraid to try an' kill us, while even if he doesn' wanna kill the human, he will if he thinks he has to," Red threw in his two bits, "Classic's fuckin' right. The dumb fuck is tryin' to control us while he does whatever he wants in the multiverse."  
Classic shook his skull.

"I don't think that's quite it.. he said something about her being able to help others.."  
They all stood there in silence, considering the possibilities of what a dangerous entity like Gaster could be up to.

Well, it was silence until you started wheezing.  
The machine was done pumping, it would seem.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

It felt like you were drowning. Your insides felt like they were on fire. Everything burned..

Then, as you came to, you felt something being removed from your throat, and you tasted a disgusting, slimy, tar-like sulfur essence. It burned your throat and made you want to gag.  
You heard voices, and they made your headache worse. You squeezed your eyes shut and curled into a ball, feeling more of that sulfuric slime on your shirt and arms..

"I'm going to go change-"

"Make sure you burn those fuckin' clothes, too. Don't need 'im to track you back here."

"Red makes a good point, Classic.. we won't know what the properties of this.. liquid are until I can have them thoroughly tested."

"Doesn't that mean you should burn your samples as soon as you're done with them, Sci?"

"I will.. dispose of them properly, I assure you. What kind of scientist would I be without the proper safety precautions?"

"Sci. Yer a terrible fuckin' lier."

"Sci, get those results done as soon as possible. G, can you get her upstairs-" there was a brief.. almost like a disturbance in the air around you, then a sigh, "..Red-"

"No fuckin' way. I ain't touchin' the bitch."

"Red. Sci needs to get his ass in gear, and I have to go change, this shit is starting to _burn_. Now, unless you want me to put a few samples of this in _all_ of your _fucking mustard,_ she will be upstairs by the time I am done."

There was some shuffling, and a growl when another.. disturbance bothered your now rather apparently magically-sensitive soul, when you felt two arms pick you up roughly.

"Good luck Red.."

"Good luck yourself. Hurry up with those fuckin' results, huh?" Sharp fingers dug into your skin as you felt your body being hefted up against the larger San's chest, and a vertigo as he must have teleported. Then, you briefly feel literally nothing before you hit something hard. Crying out, you finally crack your eyes open to notice that it's the floor, and you can't help but briefly be thankful that he didn't drop you down stairs or something.

"Bitch, you're lucky I didn't fuckin' kill you!! This is one of my only sweaters.. Fuckin' shits nasty.." You only felt another disturbance before there was quiet, and you gingerly pushed yourself up, noticing the smudges of black you left on the hardwood of the apparent living room.  
Because the Mansion needed more of those.

"O-Oww.."  
You slowly work up to a standing position, then wander down the unfamiliar hall. You don't know where you were deposited, you just know you want to either find your way back to Lust's room, or run into Cott-  
_'Oh right. He's.. not here anymore. Oops..'_ Sighing, you continue forward down the halls aimlessly, just hoping that you'll come across Lust's room at this point.

Instead, you hear a chuckle, and you glance around the corner into one of the mainrooms to see what appears to be Red, walking and reading, about to be scared by ..a rather intimidating-looking skeleton standing around the corner in a pink jacket.  
That in itself is rather impressive, you think.

But, if your day is going to be like this, you're gonna ruin the fun of everyone else's too.

"H..Hey.."  
_Fuck,_ okay, that hurt.  
A _lot._  
Maybe talking wasn't a good idea.. you sounded like shit anyways. Voice was all scratchy.. but you caught their attention, so it was too late to back out now.

Both skeletons looked at you with an obvious mix of concern and horror. ..which meant you must look as good as you sound. Which, with the way you were holding a hand around your ribs, it must have looked like you were hurt. Well, it did hurt - _everything_ hurt- but you must have looked like you were hurt _worse_ than what you actually were.  
..for all the rooms in this place, there were a surprising lack of mirrors for you to actually be able to critize yourself.

As Red slowly picked his way over to you, and it wasn't until he spoke -with a tone that was much more sympathetic, much smoother than usual- that made you wonder what happened to Red.  
He literally just dropped you on the floor, after all.

"Hey sweetheart.. are you alright?"  
He didn't get close to you, still being a good six feet away.

"R-Red-" Coughing decided to be a dick and brutally interupt you, and it took a moment to look back up after using the arm of your sleeve, all teary eyed, "Sorry," you croaked.

"No, doll, don't worry about it.." Red was much closer now, and kept glancing down at your chest worriedly.  
Was his voice really.. more gentle? Was Red schizophrenic?  
..should you be worried?

"Red, I was only t-trying to warn you about hi-" coughing, "him," nodding over his shoulder, Red quickly swivels his skull around and spots the much larger Sans that was slowly getting closer to the both of you, concerned, but mostly cautious. The newcomer grinned sharply, having noticed he'd been caught sneaking over. Showing two golden fangs on either side of his smile, his sockets hooded halfway. He also had a feather on his skull, for whatever reason.  
He apparently decided was was going to take his time making the rest of his way across the room to the two of you.

"Tch. What a spoilsport.. how rude."

"Y-You were going to scare him," you growled, "You're the one being rude."  
Red, who had taken a few steps back for every time the bigger Sans stepped forward (you had never seen him _scared_ ), now stood slightly in front of you, and to your right.  
He decided to correct you.

"He wasn't trying to scare me.."  
The taller grinned.

"Oh? And what was I _going to do~?"_  
Red turned a furious shade of, well, red, and disappeared.

You know it's useless to look around for him, he's gone. You've been on a few teleportations yourself, after all (even if it was against your will every time); you know that they don't stick around the immediate area. Having another cough attack, you hacked into the sleeve of your arm for another few minutes, suffering the sulfur and salt after-taste slime coating your tastebuds.

"..you okay, buddy?"  
You trembled, staring at the floor, yet not actually _seeing_ it.

Everything hurt, your whole body. It felt like it was on _fire,_ there was no other way to describe it- especially your lungs and throat. Your stomach felt sick after hurling whatever goop was in your system, and between constantly swallowing. Not to mention the killer headache you were trying to calm.. also Red wasn't okay, and since you got that goop on his jacket it most likely infected him somehow, which meant that was probably your fault, and this stranger thinks-

"Kid? Hey..!" You felt something grip your shoulder, and you're startled from your thoughts enough to look up at him. He's easily a foot taller than yourself.. maybe a little more than a foot. Probably. You don't think about it too much more, because your neck is kinda stiff and it hurts to keep looking up at him, so you look back towards the ground.  
Instead, you try apologizing,

"Sor-"  
A sharp intake of air could be heard.. sounds like he's getting irritated.  
Surprise surprise.

"Stop. Just.. tell me what happened."  
He's staring at you, you can feel it. Taking a breath, you sigh. You didn't want to explain it, but looking at this guy.. he seemed ridiculous, yet you doubt it would stop him from getting what he wanted.  
Might as well get it over with. No use fighting what you can't beat, after all.

"..Sans -Classic, I mean- ran an experiment with Red, and G, and.. and someone else.. and.. this.. this thing happened, something about my soul.. and Gaster.. and now Red is.. different. Might've infected him, I dunno.. I hope Classic isn't affected by this.. goop-stuff as well.." You vaugly gesture towards the spot where Red had just been standing not a few minutes ago.

"Red? Like Red, or the skeleton you just seen?"  
You look up at him with confusion, because what he's saying isn't making any sense.

"Hah, oh god, no. They aren't the same. Red would probably kill you for saying that," the stranger laughs; a loud, almost mischievious-tinted, boisterous laugh, "Aw man, thanks kid. After ruining my.. what did you call it, scare? Oh, kid," he continues to laugh at you.  
You try to move away, you don't want to infect him.

This guy is already strange enough, after all.

"Ah ah ah.. now where do you think you're going?" Deftly, this new Sans picks you up in some sort of.. magic. It's like your original San's blue, but this is.. pink.  
You also can't move.  
At all.

Fuck.

"Let's go get this gunk off of you. It's probably not fun to have Gaster goop on you, huh?"  
As he started on his merry way to who-knows-where, you rolled your eyes. He might have been mocking you, but you decide to let it go.  
You would have mocked you too.

"You don't say.."

"Hey now, no need for the snark. You don't want to snark off to _me,_ after all.." when you didn't answer (except to stare at him expectantly), he continued, "I'm the tickle monster, kid."  
_Fuck._  
_Fuuuuuuuuuuuck._

It took you a few moments to respond, and mostly rapid-fire thoughts of 'what the fuck' where in your head.

"Dude. What the fuck."  
The other frowned at you, obviously disapproving of such language.

"How about we try that again, y'know, with less vulgarity."

"And if I do-" you cut yourself off. The way his left eye started glowing bright pink..  
This wasn't going to go well if you finished that sentence.  
..you decide to go a different route that he just provided.

"..are you okay? Your eye.. or lack of one.."

"It's the laughter emoji, I know. I was created like this, in my AU."  
You weren't sure how to respond to that.

So you didn't.

"So.. if.. that skeleton.. and Red.."  
He seemed to understand where you were going with this, and went up a flight of stairs while carting you on his left, engulfed in his magic.

"His nickname is Flower. His backstory is.. kinda similar to Red's, but.. no matter what happens, his human.. well. They don't survive."

"Oh.."

"Yeah."  
There was an awkward silence between you two while he kept walking.

"Okay. Well, I'm (name), so what's your's?"

"Sans."  
You would have facepalmed, if you could have.

"You know what I meant."  
He snickered.

"Nickname's Tick."

"Like the blood-sucking parasite? I can see where the similarities are."  
Tick shot you a particularly threatening/promising look.

"Like I'll _tickle you_ until you _can't breath_ if you keep sassing me," he grinned, turning back towards his trekk, "..but judging from how red you're getting, you'd probably get wrecked."

"Okay, first of all, fuck you."  
He stopped, midway of going through a doorframe from one mainroom to another, but didn't say a thing.  
He didn't even move.

That's when you felt something crawling up and over your right side, having started from the back of your hip and going upwards; towards your ribs. This invisible force started intensifying, wriggling and prodding everywhere it was currently touching. Gentle at first, and now steadily poking between your ribs, scribbling over your skin like there weren't two layers of cloth between you and ..whatever it was. Gradually it was adding more pressure, but not enough to hurt.

..it _tickled._  
_Badly._

You would be lying if you didn't end up snickering.  
..alright, you were giggling like a big baby, weak and defenseless; feeling a mixture of embarrassed, vunerable and pathetic all at once.

"S-Stahahap!! I get it, _I get it_!! Plee _eeeease!!"_  
It grew lighter and lighter until you couldn't feel it anymore, and you panted. Only after you were sure it was gone did you let yourself relax into the magical grip that kept you from becoming best friends with the floor once again.

Tick glanced at you over his shoulder, grinning wide.

"Kid."  
You had a bad feeling about this..

"After you get cleaned up, you are _so_ boned."

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Tick had been patient enough to let you borrow his shower, and even got you a toothbrush so you could get it out of your mouth. You were incredibly _not_ looking forward to the aftermath though, so..  
There was that.

After you got out of the shower, there was a new set of clothes for you, and despite having loved your flannel, you really didn't want to put something back on when someone could possibly track you from it.  
You got overly baggy clothes. An overly baggy orange, pink and blue sweater, overly baggy pair of bright-blue jeans, overly baggy yellow shirt.. you would need to talk to Lust about some underwear. Going commando isn't really your style.

You had just got as much as the black stuff out as you could before you actually brushed your teeth; and after that you decided you couldn't hide in here forever.  
_'Might as well get it overwith.._  
Opening the door, you see.. no one.  
Sneaking through the room -hey, if it's not happening yet, you don't want to start it until you have to- you listen to the door of Tick's room to discover if you can hear him on the other side.

..silence.

Creaking the door open just enough to peek outside, you spot a familiar face. ..or three.  
Thankfully none of them belonged to Tick.

Lust was making his way down the hall, talking to Blue. Stretch was behind them, keeping a close socket on his brother, who looked a bit.. somber, for being so closely related to Cotton. You pushed that thought aside and threw open the door, quickly closing the short distance. Lust had saved your ass a few different times now, and maybe he'd help you out this time as well.

"Well hello there~ did you miss me that much~?" Upon noticing your trembling, he grew a bit more serious, "Woah, hey, what's got you in a tizzy..?"

"Heh. That'd probably be me."  
You blanched and held onto Lust's vest tighter, burying your face into his vertebra and collar fluff.  
Lust smirked, not that you would notice.

"Ah.. Tick got a hold of you, huh? Told you he was hunting you."

"Actually," Tick interjected, a michievious tone mixed with a bit of amusement, "We hadn't got to the fun part yet."  
Taking a deep breath, you clung onto Lust even more tightly, causing him to hesitate and revise what he had been about to say.

"..can we take a raincheck on that, pal? She doesn't look so-" Lust stiffened, looking down at you again, "Why the fuck are you wearing Fresh's jacket?"

"I can explain part of that, actually," Tick cheerfully inturrupted, "When I found her she had been covered in something Gaster put inside her, I think, while Classic, Red, G and someone else where running a few tests on her," he paused, "She might be able to give you more information about that, but her clothes were.. _'unrepairable,'_ when I shot a text to Classic," air quoting 'unrepairable,' it was at this point Tick took out his phone and showed them the messages, to which Lust took particular interest in. Tick shrugged and moved on, tucking it back into his jacket pocket when they were done.

"Fresh was the first one I ran into, seeing as most of my clothes are too big, my jackets would drown her. He was surprisingly willing to lend his jacket."  
...it was _very_ apparent that Lust did not like that, at _all._

"Take it off. Now." Lust's command was sharp, something about it way more serious than you have ever seen from your friend.  
You didn't even comprehend his order until he started prying the jacket off of you, tossing it to the floor once he had managed to get you to let go of him.  
There was only one major problem with this.

They were all staring at the scars on your arms- except for Lust, who already knew, and was instead glaring daggers at the colorful discarded jacket like it had somehow personally offended him.  
You went back to hugging Lust, and he didn't stop you; you could practically feel Tick, Blue, and Stretch looked between the two of you awkwardly, and you knew why.

"Uh, you guys take that raincheck. I can hunt her down another time," he quickly shuffled back into his room with a soft _click_ of his door.

"H-Human.." Blue's sockets were wide; only containing little white eyelights now, like Classic. No little blue orbs, no stars.  
It was rather.. disconcerning, to say the least.  
Stretch, at least, didn't continue to stare at your scars anymore.. though he did look similarily spooked, instead looking anywhere than at you.

"Knock it off," Lust inturrupted any interaction that would have transpired, "This is why she wears long sleeves all the time. Isn't it obvious? She really cared about Cotton, but he overwhelmed her. You just.. have to try to be there for her from a slight distance. Let her come to you. How would you like to be smothered?" Lust gently brought an arm behind you, to your lower back, and started guiding you forward, "..let's go, kiddo. We have a lot to talk about."  
Lust led you away from the other two, leaving them with a bit of advice, and a bit of confusion, as he walked back to his room.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

After you got some new clothes-which consisted of a black baggy zip-up sweater, and a pair of black tights to actually stay up without falling; and don't even get started on the part where you asked him for underwear, and he pulled out several different types of lingerie before actually pulling out something you could wear. Hell, you even got a nice pair of fitting black socks that weren't fetish-based. Lastly, the yellow, simple, t-shirt was replaced with a baggy grey one.. which, noting how small Lust was, you figured it belonged to Pink.  
Every shirt that your smaller friend offered was..

Not decent, to put it lightly.

As you sat, comfortably dressed and explaining (to the best of your ability) what happened to Lust, you felt.. empty. You knew there were times where he would be back in his AU, but.. what would you do if you needed him, and he wasn't there? How would you manage? Sighing, you once again found yourself on the foot of his bed, and you had pulled your legs up to your chest, resting your head on your knees.  
You had made it a point to ask him, to make sure that he washed his sheets, and when his reaction looked equally disgusted and appalled before he even responded, you had a good feeling that just because he was a Sans, didn't make him lazy about hygenics..  
At least not for others.  
But now, after telling him everything you went through -in great length, for the parts that you got stuck on trying to explain- he looked disgusted and.. furious. It was almost.. sweet, if it wasn't also terrifying.

"Classic, what the fuck.." Lust rubbed his face, laying down in his bed. He was truly irrate right now, it would seem.

"Classic was the one who helped.. you shouldn't be mad at him.." Fidgiting with your clothes, you note Lust looking at you for a moment; casting his irritation towards you. You shrunk back, not wanting to further irritate your only friend here. Afterwards, Lust groaned and let his skull fall back to the pillow.

"It's not you. It's just.. fuck. It's all so fucked up. I don't know what's going on, because only Classic knows! Ink might know, but..ugh."

"Isn't Red in charge too?" You wonder out loud.

 _"Hahahahaha!!"_  
..judging how he immediately burst out laughing, you would be inclined to take that as a solid 'no.'

"Oh my god; haha, no. Thank fuck, because _that_ would end the Mansion right there.. ha.."  
You looked up at the edge of the ceiling that met the far wall, and waited until you're sure he's done talking before you ask him a question.

"Hey, Lust?"

"Hm?"

"How many Sans' are in charge in the Mansion?"  
Lust went quiet for a moment.

"Classic, Ink, and Error."  
You tilt your head.

"Isn't Error.. from what I've gathered, he's.. not exactly.. kosher."  
You could hear Lust snickering.

"That's putting it nicely. Nah.. If Error wasn't one of the ones in charge, we wouldn't have any lee-way with Nightmare, Killer, Dust, or Axe.. but you already met Axe."  
Nodding, you sigh.

"I hope I didn't cause them too much trouble.. Seriff went to great lengths to keep me alive."

"Yeah. He's a good Sans," Lust hummed, "I'm more surprised that Leather had been so powerful. It's not just anyone who can go toe-to-toe with Axe, after all."  
Making a sound of understanding, you let Lust ramble on as you got lost in your own thoughts.

 _'I wish that Cotton and Leather hadn't actually been there.. Maybe I could've..'_  
It occured to you  
That is how you solve this problem.

You just have to find Axe, Killer, Dust or Nightmare.

"That isn't even how you-"

"Um, Lust.." You started fidgiting again, realizing that you accidentally intruppted him.

"Hm?"  
..to his credit, he only blinked once, before turning his attention to you.

"The guys you mentioned, earlier.. they don't live in the Mansion, do they?"  
Lust shifted, moving onto his elbows to scrutinize your face.. and you tried to remain calm as you stared up at the ceiling. Knowing that he's seen glimpses of your memories..  
He isn't stupid.

"..should I get you a babysitter?"  
You shot him a nasty glare. Of course you didn't need a baby-sitter.  
How else would you have the chance to take yourself out?

"Rude."  
He didn't look phased one way or the other.

"I'm being one-hundred percent serious here. If you're gonna go looking for them, you can just stop thinking about it now."  
Stubbornly, you turned your attention back to the ceiling.

"I am more than willing to leave you with Tick if you're gonna act like this."  
..you sent him a look that showed the uncertainty in your eyes.

"..you wouldn't betray my trust like that."  
Lust growled at your response.

"Kid, I'm trying to keep you _alive_ , it's more than trust at this point."  
Slumping, it was obvious you accepted defeat. Your back and shoulders slouched over, and while you were techincally staring at the floor; your unfocused gaze said that you were watching some unseeable thing in the distance.  
Scooting closer, Lust huffed.

"C'mere, Bunny.."

Lust wrapped his thin arms around your frame and pulled you into his lap, massaging the tips of his fingers into the lower part of your back to try and soothe you. You didn't fight back, and Lust knew that he would have to keep an eyesocket on you.

 

..least you find the dangerous side of the Mansion..


	17. Things Not To Do.

You were absolutely infuriated.

After your little.. _talk,_ with Lust, you went off without even the slightest idea of searching for a dangerous Sans. ..or Papyrus, but you would prefer a Sans; easier to be killed by someone you can't stand, after all. It doesn't feel as.. betrayed, perhaps? Nonetheless, you really didn't have _any_ intent on searching the Mansion for them. Now if you just _happened_ across one, however.. now that would just be a nice coincidence, wouldn't it?

You just didn't expect that you were going to be followed by Geno.

_'Maybe he isn't actually following me. I've only seen him twice, after all,'_ you mused as you quickly turned a corner.  
While this was true, you had seen him twice in a row. Talking to a Sans you didn't immediately recognize, and thus ignored in favor of absently noting Geno; who you were well aware didn't like you. Or humans. At _all_.

When you left the room, you passed through another, drifted through a hallway, and entered upon the next room.  
Aaaaaand there he was there again, standing with a group of several Sans' and two Papyrus'-or at the very least, a Papyrus and a _really tall_ Sans. Now you knew he could most likely teleport (as most Sans' and a few Papyrus' could do), but it seemed _awfully convenient_ for him to have been in the rooms _you_ were in at the _same time_. It wasn't a coincidence; it couldn't be.  
You knew he was following you. You just couldn't prove it.  
You knew he was following you, at the very least.  
..was he following you?

After briskly walking through a few rooms that were larger than they actually needed to be, you looked around for Geno; yet didn't find a trace of him.  
...

Was.. was he not following you after all..?

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

So far the human seems to have not noticed his presence.  
Geno had been keeping an eye on you, especially after he over-heard (see: spied on) you while you and Lust were talking, and heard about how you might've gotten the idea to search for the more ..lethal Sans' around the Mansion.

_'In hindsight, I'm surprised Lust's room isn't sound proofed.'_

Geno didn't particularly care if you perished; simply because you were proving to be a problem that was more trouble than justified worth keeping. Though.. he would have to be more careful. The first ten minutes of watching you, you were already suspicious of him.  
He had been following you through the hall from Lust's room when he seen the room you were headed towards. Teleporting there, he asked one of the newer Sans' to the Mansion -Geno was pretty sure he only gained access recently. Looked like the Sans from OuterTale- a superficial question. The other was shocked, of course, as most others are when they first meet Geno. However, he answered the question with minimal stuttering, only doing so twice.

"So, you're new here, huh?" Geno hadn't said hello, but he wasn't talking to the other for formalities.  
Turning to talk to the new arrival, the other greeted him.

"Yeah, I just arriv- u-uh, just g-got here the other morning.. it's um, it's a bit hard to keep track of time here, heh.."  
Geno nodded, understanding what the other meant. Then, turning his skull ever so slightly, noticed you exiting the room.

"Well, have fun."

Geno ended the conversation in what was most likely an obviously hurried way. Yet as he turned from the other Sans, who watched him leave, he had to make sure he knew which outcome you came to first.  
Watching you walk through the next few rooms, he teleported again and listened in to a gathering of Sans' trading puns with each other.. not that he was particularly paying attention to this conversation. Instead, he was hyper aware of you, and your movements. The only thing he noted from the group, were the members: Death, Dream, Taffy, Mutt, Pup, and Stretch. Geno was rather surprised that Stretch was here; with all the drama happening between Blue and Classic or whatever. Pup, on the other hand, was one of the mansions newer-ish arrivals. He had joined shortly before Outertale Sans; the difference being that Geno has actually met Pup, who was part Gaster Blaster. His skull was massive, and to the people not familiar with the Gaster Blasters, intimidating. Pup also had a tail, Geno had noted, but that wasn't entirely unusual for mixed beings such as Pup and, as some residents referred to as.. Fluffy, who was from a Sans' BeastTale.

As Geno stole a quick glance at you, he noticed you walking more stiffly. ..you must have noticed him after all, then.

_'No matter. I'll just follow her from a distance. It's not likely that she can detect magic from afar, so she shouldn't know if I'm nearby if I don't teleport in her direct vicinity. ..how_ close _that vicinity is is the real hazard,'_ deciding to keep a fifteen-foot teleporting distance, Geno waited three minutes for you to leave before he actually followed you.  
After all; Geno was a lot of things.. but he wasn't stupid.

You were suspicious, so your most likely course of action would be to dip around the corner and wait for him to follow you.

Geno would give it time.  
He might have to search for you a bit later; but it was a lot easier for him to find you, than for you to lose him.

Besides..

Geno knew Sci was looking for you, and despite Classic's instructions to put the experiments on hold; Sci wasn't satisfied with the previous results. Thus, he was in the lab while having had sent Red out to search for you. All of this suited Geno just fine; as he might very well get some answers.  
He was pretty neutral to either solution of the problem that consisted of you.

So even _if_ Geno lost you, he would know where to look- or at least, who to ask.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Upon turning the corner of the second exceptionally large room, you had ducked behind the wall and waited.  
And waited..

..and waited..

You counted all the way to sixty before you quickly dashed down the hall, and into a side room. Looked like an office-in-progress. Looking around, you located a mediocre, wooden wardrobe nearby and ducked inside for.. maybe five, maybe ten minutes. It felt like an eternity, but you were a bit scared that you would open the door and Geno would be outside it, looking down on you creepily.. like some horror game.

Eventually, you gather up the nerve to slowly open the door, peek through.. and.. see..

No one.

Your sigh of relief could probably have been heard two rooms over, but you didn't really care. That was the most intense thing since.. Sci, Red, G and Classic.  
Speaking of; you've occasionally seen Classic from a distance, but you haven't seen hide nor hair of Sci, Red or G.  
...

Looking off to the side, you weren't sure how to feel about that. Deciding now was a good as time as ever, you stand and stretch, then quietly close the door and stealthily peek around the corner.

No one.  
And _especially_ no Geno.

You realize two things, in the moment.  
One, you were probably being _way_ over-dramatic about this whole situation.  
Two, you just felt. A _feeling._  
This wouldn't be important on it's own (other than the fact that you've learned it's always better to stay numb); but that problem was that you felt it in full. It wasn't even an echo of the emotion, it was the _whole emotion_.

People don't usually understand when you try to explain it, so you word it carefully.  
It's like eating a Hershey's chocolate bar.  
Well then they have the, 'air delights,' where it's basically got a bunch of holes in it. Besides the fact that you're paying more for less; it's still somehow.. different..  
It tastes the same, but feels like less.  
People generally understood, when you.. had been above ground..

Leaning back inside the room, you take a few steps back. Then, quickly glancing up at the large, empty doorway, you decide to go back into the wardrobe.  
You had some deep thinking to do.

_'Do they think I'm dead..? Will.. will I be the last soul the barrier needs-'_ you paused, a realization hitting you.  
You weren't even in your own timeline. There was no saying how fast or slow time was moving from there to here. The difference could be years; or it could be just a few seconds apart.  
It could even be spot on, for all you know.

Yet..

Pulling your knees to your chest, you wrap your arms around them and rest your forehead on top.  
You missed your.. life..? No, that wasn't quite the word you were looking for.. or the meaning. Looking back, it's not that you missed them.

Not quite.

It's more like.. you wished you could see how they were doing now, and how much better off they are without you. You didn't really.. you don't even know if they were okay after you just.. disappeared.  
You hoped they were. They probably were. Everyone was so much better off without you.

In the dim light of the wardrobe, you pull up your shirt and admire that one phrase. Thumb brushing over the bottom line of scarring, you whisper to yourself.

"'Nobody's worried'.. heh.. yeah.. I know.."  
You pull your shirt back down, and pull your sleeves up.

Selfish. Useless. Fake.

..there are others, but they've worn from time. Without the right lighting, you can't decipher them. You certainly weren't going to open the wardrobe to try. Besides, it had been written in another language altogether; and with your memory..? You wouldn't know what you engraved anyways.

Deciding to recount the ones you can remember, you gently placing your first three fingers upon your sternum.  
Your torso alone contained the small paragraph, and along with it, several other words.. though only a handful you remembered.

Burden. Disgusting. Vile. Devil.

Your legs, and hips contained more of your sins..

Slut, whore, disgrace, deceiver, **homewrecker.**

"Pathetic, stupid.. _stupid_.." With a whimper, you cut yourself short.  
You might be in an enclosed space, and it might _feel_ safe; but you were not safe as long as you stayed in this Mansion.

Crying was not an option here.. not that you should be crying anyways.  
You definitely couldn't let down your walls. Even as you know this, you can't help but notice the tears that made your sweater feel a little bit colder, and the sharp pain in your nose tells you what's about to happen.  
You try to sniffle softly, but it's too late. Your nose is already running, and you don't have a tissue. Leaning your head back you breath deeply, trying to hold it off until you find a bathroom..  
Wait.

It's an office-space outside.

Opening the door, you don't even bother checking if it's 'safe' to go out until you're already in the open. By then, you glace around, and when, unsurprisingly, no one else is nearby, you quickly scan your surroundings.  
While you don't find and tissues, you _do_ find paper.. and proceed to use it as a makeshift tissue.  
Oh, it hurts, absolutely. It also makes a bit of a mess on your fingers and face, but it's better than having snot run down your face.

By the time you get cleaned up, you used four pieces of paper. Wrapping them in another piece of paper, you throw the bundle in the nearby trashcan and walk out, looking for a bathroom to wash the stickiness off of your hands and face. It's not pleasant.  
On the bright side, it was a good distraction from the pain and sorrow that was smashing against your walls, trying to get out.

You eventually do find a sink.. though it's not a bathroom. It's in one of the kitchens that had a Papyrus in it.. kinda looked like your Papyrus, actually..  
He didn't notice you yet, loudly humming something to himself.  
It was admittedly rather catchy. You would ask him what it was, but.. your shoulders slumped as you turned the water on low and applied some soap.

_'It's none of my business.'_

The other was either ignoring you, or hadn't heard the soft sound of the low water pressure; even when you washed your face. Afterwards, you look around briefly, find the designated hand towel nearby, and dry your face off.. and what's left of the moisture on your hands, of course. Putting it back, you walk out without any conflict from the other being, who is still happily humming to himself.

You walk down the hall, and continue forward, trying not to cry, or feel anything.  
How did you feel numb last time again?

_'Oh that's right.. at the cost of my blade. I'm gonna have to try and find a new one sometime..'_

While it didn't make you completely numb, it did help block out some of the sorrow your mind was trying to force you to feel. After all, you didn't know where you could just _find_ a box cutter blade-or even a pocket knife. No one is just going to _give_ it to you. You were so deep in thought, that you didn't even notice the other you practically crashed into.  
At least, not until your forehead hurt.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Red was the _very opposite_ of pleased.

He could be doing _anything._  
_Any fucking thing_  
And here he is; looking for you.

_'That lil' shit.. when I find her, 'm gonna tear her a new fuckin' face!'_  
Mentally cursing up a storm, he turns the hallway corner to enter the next room.

Red had asked several other skeletons that lived here already (including Blue, Bara, and Tone), and they had been pointing him, figuratively, in this general direction.  
Well, looks like his luck had run out.  
Again.

"Are ya fuckin' serious. _Another_ dead end?! _Why_ do we live in a god damn labyrinth!!" Sighing, he rubbed his face. Taking a minute to collect himself before he wrecked the room. ..last time he did that, Ink threatened to shove his brush 'where the sun didn't shine.'

Heh, pansy couldn't even say 'ass' if he wanted to.

Sighing once more, Red turned to back-track for the ump-teenth time, his anger only barely hidden under a face of neutrality.  
What he bumped into changed his mood entirely, and he smirked dangerously.

"Well hello there, doll face.."

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

"Well hello there, doll face.."  
Rubbing your forehead, you look up at the owner of the voice.

"..Flower? Or Red?"  
The anger that moved onto his face answered your question before he did.

"You little shit-"  
"You have literally never said a nice thing to me. Ever. So you'll have to forgive me, if I got confused when being called 'doll face.' And for the record, you _better_ have been saying that sarcastically, or else I am literally going to question your mentality. I am ugly as fuck, and anyone could see that from a mile away. Now do you have a reason for.. for _fucking_ with me, or can I just go be miserable somewhere else?"  
..it was pretty safe to say you were not in the mood to deal with an angry skell.

Well.  
The shock on his face was certainly.. something. It was almost worth it to see.  
The pain that exploded from the side of your face, however, and the way the world seemed to rocket away from you as you distantly recognized the carpeted floor..  
The cracking of knuckles was barely heard over a strange, wriggling feeling inside of your soul.  
Almost.. concern.  
But it was so far away..

Everything was so far away..

"Oh no, don't you fuckin'.. da.."

Darkness.  
...

...  
..there's something strange, about this darkness..  
..almost like..  
...

**_'Is someone here..?'_**  
The darkness writhes, and seems to grow thicker around you.

...  
..something.. ominous.. was approaching.  
It made distorted noises, and it was starting to suffocate you. Looking further into it, you could see eyes. It took you a second to realize..

 

..the eyes.. they were _right in front of your face-_

Leaping back, you notice something.. it takes much more effort than it actually should to move.  
Turning towards your left, you note yet another set of eyes. They don't stay in place long, as they move sharply to your far right, and keep going.

Into the darkness.

A moment after the eyes disappeared, a screech sounded right next to your ears, all around you, everywhere.  
Then it disappeared, and you were left with it's haunting echo in your head.

The pressure that had been building in the tense atmosphere was still there, but it didn't grow any further. ..it might've been capped at a limit, you mused, or maybe someone paused it-

**You shouldn't be in the Void. This is a very dangerous place. How did you manage to find your way here, little one..?**  
A hand placed itself upon your head; long slender fingers gently brushing against your short, very faded blue hair. You would guess that it's probably more brown again, before you focused back on the situation. You might've jumped if you didn't get so easily sidetracked.

**_'G.. Gaster..?'_ **

**Yes. Now, you must go.. there are others waiting for you. Besides,** he paused, and you somehow knew he was trying to make his next point, very, _very_ clear, **It is dangerous to be at the String Point in the Void. Any version of myself may find you here, and, as you may have just learned, they aren't all t h e r e.** Tapping a single, thin digit to his skull, both eyes lit brightly, and it felt like he was peering into your soul.

**..what's this..?**  
Feeling a pressure on your chest, you bite your lip before you realize that your soul is in his hand..  
..and he looks _very unhappy._

**So, there is a being who dares to form a bond with your soul, hm? ..no matter. The process that he chose is slow, and is hardly noticeable. You probably didn't even know, did you, youngling..?**  
Shaking your head no, you stare up at him.  
A bond? With you? That means they can feel what you feel, right? That's.. that's bad. Even the smallest one could probably hurt them.. and that means..! They could _die_ if you actually find a way to-

**Tsk. Enough of that,** with a gentle flick to the forehead, you barely catch your thoughts as they race around in your head.  
A force seemed to be helping them slow before you panicked.

**Now.. you really should get back. You'll want to be awake for what happens to you next,** The creepy smile that Gaster gave you made you shiver.. or maybe that was from him sliding your soul back into your chest, **Be g o o d . .** He started fading.

..you thought you heard him mentioning.. 'exterminating a source..?' Yet you couldn't be sure, everything was already faded out, and as it came back into focus you found yourself in a familiar room.  
In a familiar setting.  
..in a familiar chair..

Shivering, you realized where you were moments before a face popped in front of yours.

"Hello there! How are you feeling?"

"..."

"Good, good.." Some scribbling on that infernal clipboard of his. "Now, I want you to follow this light, alright?"

Slowly moving the light back and forth, you continue to stare at Sci. Classic had promised no more tests after what happened.  
..but considering that he promised you were safe here, and then started conducting tests on you anyways, there wasn't much weight to his words.  
Briefly, you wonder if all of their words are just words, when your body's nerves once again turn into an inferno of pain.

"Thank you Red. Now, human, if you would follow the light.."  
Bracing yourself against the pain, you look up again. You decide that it's better to just do as he tells you. There really was no point in resisting anyways..  
Besides, you had been punched in the same place you had been punched last time, and you could feel blood trickling down your chin from where the corner of your mouth was split.

"Good, good. You're awake and aware, and you don't seem to be fazed other than some minor injuries.. but they shouldn't effect the results of the gathered data in any significant way." Sci put away his board after jotting another few things down.

"Now, we don't have any volunteers that are compatible with your soul, so we'll just do some minor tests today, alright?" Sci hummed softly to himself as he sorted out his tools and once again attached those gooey, suction cup monitors to your body.

"Red, set up the field stabilizer, and the electro pulsation net, if you please."  
Without a word, Red moved to fill out his orders, pressing buttons and writing commands from the monitor console at a pace so fast that you couldn't keep track of his fingers.. even if you _had_ been trying.  
Besides, the right side of your face was starting to swell your eye shut. Or at least, partially shut, at this point. You could still see out of it, sort of, but you figure it'll be sealed all the way shut before it gets any better.

Something behind you started whirring to life a few moments later, and Sci placed the final monitor behind your left ear just before Red spoke up.

"Field stabilizer is up. Electro pulsation net on standby,"  
Sci practically split his skull from the grin he suddenly sported.

"Great," scribbling a few more things back on his clipboard, Sci put his pen down and pressed a nearby button.

A silent scream erupted from you as your body arched in it's chair. If you weren't being held in place by leather straps; you would've been convulsing on the floor.  
The pain was so sharp, it cut right through your body.  
..metaphorically.  
It was, however, puncturing your soul and creating an image on the master computer monitor thing that Red and Sci practically worshiped.

The way the electricity flowed from the machine next to Sci, a small surge of light coming from it every few moments as it flowed down the wires and into your body.. it was like it specifically searched out your soul, and tore it apart, to find every piece, examine it, and form its _exact replica_ on the monitor. In the back of your mind, you thought you could feel your mouth splitting more, just from how hard your body was trying to force yourself to scream.

Yet just as soon as it came, it was over.

"Alright.. not the results I had hoped to see, buuuut.. your soul reacted quite positively to that signal. Let's try a lower signal. We wouldn't want to end the experiment so soon."  
Red made a sort of scoffing noise, but you were distracted by the small amount of pain in your soul that was slowly starting to fade.

Not the pain you yourself had to endure; that was definitely still resonating inside of you. This felt more like a.. echo. A pain underneath, almost hidden below your own.  
...  
And then there was anger.

You meant _fury._  
You were confused.. was this.. what you were supposed to feel? Are these your underlying emotions?  
The 'right' emotions for the situation?

Suddenly, another bout of electricity crashed into your soul, and this time it ran _into_ it; like a battering ram.

"..resilience isn't as high as I would have liked it to be.." you can hear the pen on paper.  
You just can't do anything.

The pain is bad, absolutely. It's fucking _horrible._ But it's a little easier to deal with than before, so you supposed you should be grateful for that.. even if it did still feel like a butter knife trying to be forced into your soul handle-first.  
It hurt.. and you had arched again, not even sure when you had gone slack, but instead of having your mouth open, you grit your teeth. Your mouth was still stretched to bare them, though, and that probably didn't help that split you now bore.  
On the other hand, the echo felt like it was in pain too. You tried to focus on that echo, even as you tried to build your walls. The electricity didn't give an apparent single fuck about the walls you tried to build, and still ran into your soul with no resistance. So you tried to mentally block it out as you moved all your attention to that echo.  
..it was hurting..  
Well, at least you got that emotion right.

By the time this one ended, you were panting, and the pain in your soul started fading again. Your walls.. were trashed.. nothing but rubble. Maybe they were only meant for words, and metaphorical meanings, because this didn't seem to be helping you this time.  
The pain was excruciating, and you slumped into your chair as much as you possibly were physically able. Mind numbed and overtaken by the raw hurt that your body was feeling.  
That your soul was feeling.

While you were dazed, you didn't notice your soul being removed again, and barely looked up when something slimy went onto it. Everything was blurry, and you only heard murmuring when a electric pulse went straight into your soul.  
No flesh barrier that consisted of your body.  
Just.. nothing.

..a white light blinded you, and by the time you could see again, you noticed Sci and Red were in a room with you. A high pitched ringing in echoed in your ears. As your surroundings slowly came back into focus again, you regained your more-fully conscious form.  
They were testing on you.  
Again.

Looking down, they had just applied _electricity_ to your _soul._

..you slouched even more.  
There was nothing you could do anyways, so why even bother. They probably wouldn't even let you out later. They'll keep you trapped down here. And no one else would notice, because you aren't important. No one else will care..  
...

_'..not even Lust would care.. he's.. great at pretending..'_  
A few tears plopped onto your lap, two from the right, and one from the left. The salt from your tears stung your angry, welted skin, and burned when it went past your split lip.

Looking up again, Sci stood in front of you, taking in your appearance and jotting down more things.

"Now then-"  
**_BAM_**

"WHO. _THE FUCK,_ HAS THE _GOD DAMN BALLS_ TO FUCK WITH HER"  
You were absolutely terrified. You didn't know that he could shout so loud, nor had you ever heard him so.. enraged.

_'I don't think he would forgive me, now that I messed everyth-'_  
Lust had stormed down the stairs, a one-skeleton army, with his left eye ablaze with purple.

He pointed at you.

"Stop." Calm. Collected. Cool.  
..almost soothing.

And on the other hand..  
When he turned back..

Red stepped forward to meet Lust's glare with one of his own, growling at him. Sci was too startled to do much, and a bit sheepish at having been caught from the get-go of going against Classic's orders.  
Lust grinned in a.. honestly, rather disturbing manner. He looked like he was on the brink of losing his shit, and you couldn't stop watching him. It's like if you looked away, he would disappear, and you would be back to having electricity struck through you again.

Raising his hand, Lust blue'd Red's soul, and brought him forward a few inches (Red must've been prepared for this, because he started to dig his heels into the floor and lean backwards), just to force him back, slamming him into the monitor behind them. Smoke emitted from the monitor, in small, white tendrils before dispersing harmlessly.  
Lust didn't even bother to check if he dusted Red or not before advancing on Sci. Who, to his credit, stood his ground.. though whether it was from fear or stubbornness, you couldn't figure out.  
Taking Sci by the collar of his lab coat, Lust pulled him face-to-face in an entirely to close, uncomfortable show of power that caused Lust to look more intimidating that usual.

"Get her. The _FUCK._ Out of that chair. _Now!_ " Shoving Sci away from himself, Lust watched as the shorter skeleton stumble, then briskly make his way over to you and quickly undo your bindings. He pulled off the small sticky domes carefully, afraid of angering Lust even farther.

The second he touched your soul, Lust growled, and you could hear him striding forward at a remarkably fast pace for any kind of Sans.  
Sci quickly let go, and as Lust glared him down, he turned to your soul with a disdained look on his face.

"Fucking disgusting. Don't you fuckers ever _ask_ first?"  
Gently, oh, so very gently, Lust slowly peeled off the last monitor from your soul.

After you were completely free, Sci backed even further away, and Lust letting you to slump against the back of the chair even further.  
You were getting drowsy, the adrenaline rush no longer with you from the lack of pain, but you still didn't want to close your eyes.  
You didn't want to go back.

You knew you were being selfish, that it didn't matter what you wanted, that you were being childish and needed to grow up. You weren't import-  
When did Lust kneel in front of you?

"Hey. Look at me. Focus on me, c'mon, kid.."

"T..ii'ing.."

"Shh, shh.." Gently, he pressed his hand to the most swollen part of your face, then took out his phone and, from the quick clicking sounds, texted someone.

"Don't talk. You're kinda fucked up right now, heh.."  
There were actual tears in his sockets.

What have you done? How could you have hurt him like-

"Kid. Stop, this isn't your fault. Sci is gonna get his, I _promise-_ "  
Whatever else he said, you didn't hear it.

He promised.  
So he was like the others, huh.. where promises mean nothing.

You barely noticed, until he was face to face with you, the purple flames around his socket.. gone.  
Staring into his sockets, you hated when Sans' did this.. it was calming. Relaxing. You could get lost in their sockets, the soft glow so easy to focus on, to lose yourself to. To block out your thoughts and be numb.  
..no. Not numb. Content. Pleasantly content.  
Raising his left hand to join the right one already on your face, he kept you from backing away from him, even though you had zero intent to.

"Let me reiterate this: stop.. making yourself.." he paused, at a loss for words, "It hurts me, when you hurt yourself emotionally.. especially when _you couldn't control the circumstances._ Stop.. tearing yourself down. This isn't your fault.. okay?" He didn't even look up when a new voice arrived.

"BROTHER..! WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE?? EVERYTHING IS IN RUINS, AND-"

"Bro, calm down. I need you to.. finish healing her, okay..?"  
Wait.. he had been healing you? You didn't even notice.. guess that explained why your face didn't feel like fire. You focused again just in time to see Lust standing to face Pink.  
Well, he tried, anyways.

The actuality of the situation, is that Lust _managed_ to stand, and then stumble backwards.  
Pink easily caught and righted him again.

"BROTHER.."

"I just.. gotta take out the _trash,_ bro. Don't worry about me. Get our friend to safety, m'kay..?"

Lust turned away from you and Pink, and the expressions that crossed Pink's face when his brother turned his back.. hurt, concern, and stern all passed within a moment, and if you hadn't been watching them you would have missed it.  
Lust was suddenly spun around and scooped up, then carefully placed on Pink's hip. Turning to you, he did the same thing, with as much care and prowess as he did for his brother.  
Then, he headed up the stairs and started off his journey.

"Put me down.. m'too heavy.."  
Pink huffed, and cast a scolding look towards you.

"YOU ARE NOT HEAVY, AND TO INSINUATE THAT I CANNOT CARRY YOU IS LIKABLE TO COMPARING UNDYNE NOT BEING ABLE TO LIFT BOULDERS," pausing, he added with a playful tone, "HOW WEAK DO I APPEAR TO BE, HUMAN??"

You grinned, then grimaced.  
It hurt your face to grin.  
Pink noticed this, as did Lust, who was just as drowsy as you were. Lust did nothing other than mentally note it, while Pink increased his speed.

"..y'look.. really strong.."  
Glancing down at you momentarily, Pink's face turned.. pink.

"TH-THANK YOU HUMAN..!!"

"What's the matter, bro..?"

"SANS.."

"A bit.. _Flushed?_ "

"SANS!! I HATE THAT NICKNAME AND YOU KNOW IT!!"

Seeing them banter like this..  
It feels like home.

But you don't belong here.  
They're better off without you.  
Disgusting.  
Pathetic.

_Homewrecker.. don't destroy their happiness too._  
Don't be selfish.  
You know better. 

Leaning your forehead against Pink's chest, you sigh quietly, letting the momentary happiness you had grasped for a few moments slip away.  
..it always does that anyways.

Upon approaching their room, Lust was already fast asleep, and Pink stopped in front of the door.  
You looked at the handle, then at Pink.

"..want m'to walk..? I can do it from're.."  
Pink shook his skull.

"No, thank you. I only request that you don't tell my brother about this."  
You don't know what he's talking about, but you nod anyways.

Suddenly, the door handle is pink, and it swings open silently, stopping on a dime just before hitting the wall.  
Then, after he entered his brother's room, Pink shuts the door with the same amount of grace, and it clicks shut with the softest _click_ you have ever heard.

"Tsk. I will have to work on that."  
You give him a questioning glace.

"Usually one would not hear anything.. not that I've ever practiced my magic with others. Not like.. this."  
You nod again, unsure of what to say. You decide not to say anything.

Pink sets you on the bed, then tucks Lust in, pulling the blankets up to his chin.  
The way he looks at his brother as he gently ran a hand over his skull.. that is what true siblings should be like.  
..you were almost jealous.  
Almost.

_You don't deserve that._  
You ruined your family.  
It's all your fault they fell apart. 

Turning his attention back to you, he did the same thing Lust did earlier: gently place his hand on your cheek, and start healing your face.  
You really didn't notice when Lust did it -mostly because you were just surprised that Lust even came- but now you could feel a soothing.. wave. Like the ocean tide, just.. easing your rising pain away.  
Sighing in relief, you leaned into his touch.

"..it looks better than before. I am sure that cut was quite deep. You're lucky we healed it right away, otherwise it would leave a nasty scar."  
You give him an mildly amused smile.

"Don't worry.. it would be an improvement."  
For a second, Pink looks absolutely appalled. Then he sighs, and responds with a calm rebuke.

"You shouldn't speak of yourself so lowly. It truly hurts those who care about you."  
You give a tiny shrug.

"That's why I don't usually talk to them about it.."  
Pink stared at you.

His sockets bored into you, searching your face, and probably checking on your soul, to make sure it was alright or something. Not once did he stop healing you.

"..I think it's a good thing my brother bonded to you."  
You jerked back a bit, surprised and shocked.

"W-What??"  
Pink hushed you, looking over to Lust, who didn't even stir, before turning back to you.

"He bonded to you accidentally, of course. He told me how he healed your soul, and ended up getting magical backlash," Pink chuckled, "My brother is smart, so he should have known not to push so much healing energy into your soul at once.. on the other hand, if he hadn't.."  
Pink looked at you very seriously.

"You very well could have died."  
You wanted to respond with, 'What a shame,' but kept your mouth shut.

Pink watched you closely, and when you didn't respond, he moved on.

"It was actually an unlikely event, to bond with you. From what I've heard, that is the sort of thing that very rarely happens, and generally only happens in the universes that directly deals with souls. With that being said, in our universe, it is more likely to form a bond that is romantic than platonic. With _that_ being said.. you have formed a bond that only had a two-point-eight chance of being created, and the only reason I know that, is because Sans is my brother, and he views you and his sister. I can feel that bond, human.. and I support it. I know you have not had the friendliest welcome here, but.. I also know that you wouldn't intentionally hurt my brother; or anyone else that lives here."

Pink gave you a small, yet incredibly happy smile.

"You possess a good soul, human. A soul worth protecting. I would like to be your brother figure too, even if we do not have a bond.. if.. that would be alright with you, of course.."  
You stared at him, and he fidgeted.

"If you don't want- O-Oh no, d-don't cry!!"  
Pink was trying to keep his voice down, but when he seen the tears rolling down your newly-formed (if not still mildly discolored) face, he started panicking.

Once you caught his attention, you nodded. There were too many tears in your throat to try to speak.  
When your nose started running, however.. you quickly looked around.

"Need some nose rags, kiddo?" Looking over, you come face-to-box with the tissues, Lust holding them there with magic.  
Taking a few, you blow your nose and then look for a trash can, which Pink helpfully retrieves for you-and luckily for you, even provides some hand sanatizer.

"Pshh, not everyone's a germophobe, Paps."

"BROTHER, SINCE YOU'RE AWAKE I NO LONGER SEE THE NEED TO STAY QUIET."  
..while Lust was used to this change in volume, you were not, and you covered your ears, cringing.

"I apologize, human!!"

"Hey, c'mere,"  
Feeling yourself being moved, you look over at Lust, who gently takes your face in his grasp.

"..you look a lot better, kiddo."  
You roll your eyes playfully.

"Before or after I got my face bashed in?"  
Lust gave you a disapproving look, and Pink decided to chime in.

"She has been making comments like that since we entered this room, brother."  
You turn towards Pink, placing a hand on your chest and pretending to be offended,

"Traitor!"

"Oh, she has, huh..? You know what this means, Bunny.."  
You turn your slightly-more-genuine betrayed towards Lust.

"Sans- your brother-"  
Lust at least has the common courtesy to look guilty.

"He would have found out anyways, Bunny. We don't keep secrets from each other."  
Pink nodded at this.

"Besides," Lust continued, "I think you're just trying to get out of.."  
..you slowly start moving away, well aware of what he could have planned.

"Surprise cuddles!"  
Blue magic once again pulled you back to him, and Lust held you close, scooting over so Pink could have the spot by the wall. Pink shook his skull, but climbed in anyways, already yawning. He pulled the blankets over the both of you, with no help from Lust; who was just grinning at his brother infuriatingly as he watched Pink struggle for a small amount of time.  
Laying there beside them, you realized that neither one wrapped an arm around any part of you.  
Instead, you could feel the way Pink's spine carefully pressed against your side, and the way Lust's knee pressed against your thigh.

They weren't trapping you..  
They were keeping you safe.  
The difference being that if you wanted to get up and leave -as in go to the bathroom or something- they would simply roll over after clarifying with you that you would be back eventually.

..you could live with this.

"Hey, bunny.."  
With the three of you laying in the bed, in the dark, you don't even move to look at him when you respond.

"Mm?"

"You called me Sans. Usually only my bro calls me by name, in this house full of doppelgangers."

"I believe we are inside of a Mansion, brother."

"It's fiiiine," there was hesitation, "..but thanks, (y/n). Means a lot."  
Suddenly, you're quite grateful for the darkness. You can feel your face is on fire.. in the embarrassed, annoying, blushing way.

You can hear low chuckling, and you feel the bed lightly bouncing from his laughter.

"Tsk, no need to get flustered, Bunny~"

"Shut up, Sans!"

You pause..  
If he thanked you for simply using his actual name, then maybe..

"..thanks for coming to save me.. believe it or not, I don't always try to be a damsel in distress.."  
More movement, this time, you could feel him hugging you.

Looking towards his general direction, you can see his eyelights in the dark, and automatically focus on them.

"In my universe, we protect family. We might be a bunch'a sluts, but at least we're ethical sluts."  
You stare at him, his response triggering something defensive inside of you.  
Something protective.

"It's not being a slut if you can't control it, you know."  
It was quiet for a moment.

"Using my own words against me, huh? Clever girl," you can feel him ruffling your hair before he scoots back to give you your space again, "Anyways, no probs for the assist. Not that you didn't have it under control, with all those good looks you're sporting, right bro?"

"Yes," a soft yawn comes from Pink's general direction, "She is very attractive. Most of the other inhabitants here could tell you that."  
You silently look down towards your now-fidgeting hands, unsure how to react to this.

Were they flirting? But they said they were your brothers.. not that _that_ was good title to desire, but..

"You're both wrong, but thanks for the sentiment, I guess.."

"We aren't trying to make you feel awkward, y'know. We compliment each other all the time. Papyrus is very attractive, and any monster would be lucky to be with him."

"And my brother is very smart, even if he tells stupid jokes."

"Hey, rude. My jokes are great. Besides, they always make you smile."  
There was a muffled sound coming from the pillow. behind you

"No need to get flustered, bro, my jokes are just that great."

"This is all fine and well, but can we!! Go to bed now!!"

"Heh heh, sure bro. G'night, Bunny." Nuzzling his face against your forehead, you recognize the skele-kiss, before he rolls over, pressing his spine into your side in a mimicry of Pink.

...  
..you really could live with this.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

_-BONUS-_

Classic was.. tired.

Standing here, in the wake of devastation, with Red and Sci standing in front of him, he sighed.

"So.."  
Sci flinched as soon as he started talking.

"L-Look, I know you said not to, but you can't just invite me here, have me run _one_ experiment, then make me stop like it never happened!! Not only is it a waste of time, it's a waste of science! And besides, there was no essence from Gaster this time, and-"

"That isn't the point." Classic coolly cut off Sci's excuses.  
There was no point in getting angry, they were him, after all. They would just block him out.

"The point is, is that we can't go around irritating Gaster without a backup plan. He is not someone to be fucked with, and we _all_ know this. The next time you guys even think about coming near the human with any intent of experimenting, I'm going to get Edge to watch you both."  
The immediate irritation that shown across Red's face was blatantly obvious, and Sci paled a little at the thought of the easily-irritable, violent Papyrus. 

"Now, both of you clean this up, and stay off of my radar for the next two weeks, at least. I'm tired of this shit."  
Red rolled his eyes.

"Sorry, Princess, did we inconvenience ya? How rude of us."  
Classic glared at Red.

"Unless you want to end up back in that monitor, Red, then shut the fuck up," Classic turned, "Two weeks. See if you two can handle that."  
He teleported away, with every intent of going back to sleep.

Classic had been awoken by a mildly confused Dream, and when he got to the lab, Seriff was found keeping an eye on Sci and Red, along with Azul.. who was mainly just being the conservationist.  
If these two keep up their antics, Classic would have to take some drastic measures. He already planned on having Geno watch Sci as long as he stayed in the Mansion, while Red probably shouldn't be a problem; as he tried to avoid you when you first came.  
...  
..maybe Classic should get Blue to watch him, just to be safe.

After all, nobody could irritate Red like Blue could.  
Not to mention, since Cotton and Blue had gotten close; it was more than likely that Blue would be willing to watch over you for his friend.  
Classic smiled to himself.  
He liked this plan.


	18. Welcome To The Fifth Layer of Hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuckin' blaming Gaster for this shit.  
>  _Archive get your shit figured out and stop giving me ten copies of everything_
> 
> Fuck everything rn, just have this chapter back
> 
> Damn.
> 
> ALSO, WHILE UNPLANNED, ANOTHER _-BONUS-_ FOR ALL THE FAITHFUL READERS THAT I NEVER EXPECTED BUT SORT OF APPRECIATE ANYWAYS, in a weird, sort of way..  
>  So there.

Waking up the next morning, you notice that Lust and Pink are gone, yet again.  
You do, however, find a note on the pillow next to your own. It's most likely from Pink, considering the delicate, cursive handwriting. However, there was a problem with this note; and it was that you didn't know how to read cusive. You used to, when you were younger, but once you hit middle school you never used it again.

It took you nearly ten minutes, but you finally figured it out:

_"DEAREST SISTER SIBLING,_

_I HOPE WHEN YOU WAKE, YOU DO NOT PANIC. SANS AND I ARE ALRIGHT. WE NEEDED TO GO BACK TO OUR OWN UNIVERSE TO CONDUCT.. BUSINESS. BUSINESS THAT YOU ARE MOST LIKELY AWARE OF, YET I AM NOT COMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT WITH ANY SIBLING OF MINE._

_SANS WANTED TO WAKE YOU, BUT I INSISTED HE LET YOU SLEEP. YOU LOOKED QUITE TIRED FROM THE OTHER DAYS.. ACTIVITES, AND REQUIRED MORE REST. DO NOT WORRY!! WE WILL RETURN AS SOON AS WE HAVE FINISHED OUR TASKS. IN THE MEANTIME, SANS HAS ARRANGED TO HAVE ANOTHER MEMBER OF OUR HOUSEHOLD TO WATCH OVER YOU UNTIL WE COME TO RETRIEVE YOU FROM THEM. I BELIEVE HIS NAME WAS TICK, SO THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF WHO WILL BE WATCHING OVER YOU._

_IN ANY CASE, MAKE SURE TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, AND PLEASE STAY POSITIVE._

_SINCERELY,  
PAPYRUS"_

Fuck.  
Fuck fuck fuck fuck _fuck._

Very carefully, very slowly, you get out of bed. You are beyond hyper-aware of all your surrounds now. Creeping closer to the door, you place your hand against the wall, outside the door frame, to support you. That way the door clicking against the frame from your weight upon it wouldn't give you away.  
Straining your ears as much as you can, you slow your breathing as much as you are able.  
You listen.

And listen.

And _hear something._

Adrenaline courses through your blood as you hold back your panic. The worst case scenario was that Tick was out there, waiting for you to leave your room. There was a clicking out there, that suggested he was on his phone.  
They all kinda have the same old, ratty, useless phones, after all..

 _'One of the cons of living Underground, I guess,'_ you thought to yourself, _'Okay, strategy time. I've fled from the cops before; this is kinda like the same scenario.. the consequences aren't as cruel, but..'_ You shivered.

You did _not_ want to get caught.  
Tick did say that he's hunted before.. the real question is, has he hunted others that are better at escaping than you are? Maybe. But you were still gonna give it a shot. Slowly, you knelt to the floor and peaked under it. The tiniest crack between the bottom of the door, and the floor let you see.. a pair of grey socks. Fuck.. that was definitely Tick. Or a version of him, anyways. Slowly, _slowly_ you stand back up. Then, creeping away from the door just as quietly as you walked towards it; you were suddenly very grateful that the foundation was solid wood. Instead of old, rotten planks.  
Old wooden planks creaked _so badly._

Alright.. scouting your surroundings, you make a mental note that there are two doors in here. One leads to the hallway, and obviously you can't use that one. The other leads to a bathroom, which has a small, square floor vent that is too little to use. There aren't any windows in either room, either..

You were running out of options.

Then you spotted it.. in the corner, almost unnoticeable. It looked like a medium sized, square hole in the wall; and was generally used for laundry. The English type of secret passage/laundry chute; if movies taught you right. Looking back to the hallway door, you notice that it locks; but you don't dare to click it. Not with Tick standing on the other side. Picking your way over to the partially-hidden wall chute, you slowly slide the wooden door up. It only catches and gets stuck in its own frame once. Other than that, the only conflict you were having at the moment was the fact that you had to hold the door open, while you also tugged at the ropes. You didn't know where the carrier box was at the moment, but you guessed that the heavier, harder to pull rope was the one you were looking for.  
Thankfully, fate seemed to smile on you this moment, as the box came up a few minutes later. The next problem was getting in quietly; and hoping like hell that you could hold the rope, and the door without making any noise. It squeaked softly, twice; and each time it squeaked you froze. The first time, you only had a leg in, and waited a whole minute before you started getting in again. The second time it squeaked, you froze yet again, already having your legs inside while you were sitting on the framing, and waited another minute. Every time you counted to sixty, you panicked, thinking Tick would come in at the last second and haul you to the floor to start his torment.  
He did not.

With hardly any audible shuffling noises later, you were safely tucked inside the carrier, and slowly lowered your hand as you closed the door to the chute. A soft clunk of wood made you cringe when the door shut fully; courtesy of you sliding your fingers out from under the door.  
Glutton for punishment, you counted to sixty to see if he would come into the room and be onto you yet.  
All was quiet inside Lust's room.  
You could go down.. but you didn't know what to expect when you would get to the laundry room, so you went up instead.  
And up.  
And up..

It took a while, maybe twenty minutes, twenty-five.. but you kept going until you couldn't go up any more.

When the carrier bumped into the pulley that held it, you realized two things.  
One, there was no door here.  
Two, if the rope broke here, you would fall for quite some time, and then die.

The second thing both excited and terrified you. You hated heights, though you made it blatantly obvious that you loved the idea of death.  
Shaking your head and trying to refocus, you start to go back down. You easily find the first door, a pale light filtering through the frame and the door itself. Opening it, you find a thing. This thing was in your way. It might've been a chair, or a small bed, but it was difficult to move over from your positioning. Nonetheless, you weren't worried if it were someone's room. Whatever it was that was blocking you had a white sheet over it: the kind that protect furniture from dust. After you barely squeezed out of the opening provided, only then did you note that the rest of the room was in similar condition.

 _'Maybe I should lower the carrier.. so that if he finds it, he'll look downstairs instead,'_  
You used to be a master of two things: dodging.. and hide and seek.  
Time to put those rusty skills to work.

Moving back towards the carrier, you let the rope back down.  
..and down.  
And down.

Doing this for a while, you don't really think about it much until you felt someone jerking it back up. Then you panicked, automatically thinking the worst while trying to hold the rope in place.. but the other being on that side of the rope was much stronger than you. You let go of the rope, and though you didn't want to, you really, _really_ didn't; you _knew_ it was a bad idea.. you looked down the chute. Your mind needed to make sure of who it was.  
Looking down, you realized there was no way you would be able to tell who it was, because they were so far down there. But.. _they_ seen _you,_ because they waved, and disappeared.

_Ffffffuck._

You started panicking.  
Oh, the hunt was on _now,_ you thought, torn between bitter and excited. The chase was always the best part of any adventure, you had always thought.  
..except when it's you being chased. Then it was terrifying.

Running to the other side of the room, you realize something. Looking down, you would have to find a place that was relatively clean, because the dust on the floor would give away any hiding spot in here (which is a damn shame, because there were quite a few good hiding spots). While you were looking down, you also seemed to have found a trap door, which had a ladder attached.

 _'Must be in the attic, I guess,'_ you thought distractedly, pushing the door downwards and watching as the ladder fell.. _loudly._  
Cringing, you hoped Tick was far enough away to have not heard that, with the rusty squeaking and the slamming of metal against wood.

..heavy footsteps in the distance, somewhere down the hallway seemed to have been the downfall to your mental hopes.

You quickly shimmy down the ladder, and run as quietly as you can towards the sound-since the ladder was at the end of the hall, you couldn't go the other way. You had three choices now.  
Left, straight, or right.  
Quickly peeking down both left and right, you focus your hearing to listen into each hallway..

The footsteps are coming from ahead of you, it sounded like. You make a left, just to realize that it would also be a dead end; since it has no other options at the other end. Peaking around the corner, you hear him getting closer, but you still don't see him, so you dart across the hall onto the right. From there, you keep running. You know you're making as much noise as he is, but at the moment, you don't care.  
You just need to get _away._

Taking a left at the end of the hallway, you find a staircase on the left of the hall, a ways down. You go down two flights as quietly as possible, skipping two steps at a time, before you head out on the next landing.  
..it's rather unnerving that you haven't seen any other being; skeleton or not.  
As you get onto the landing, you end up spotting a carpet in the middle of the hallway floor. You take off on it, trying to run on the outside parts of your feet in an attempt to make your own steps as silent as possible.

After you run out of carpet, you take another left, and two rights. There's an open door you nearly pass, and you slow your decent quickly (if not a bit louder than you would have liked), so you can look inside before you reach it.  
Looking around the door frame cautiously, you see that the lights are on, but no one is inside. Just another plain, white room with basic furniture. There might not be anyone living in here.. they might have just forgotten to shut off the light..

With the footsteps following, sounding even closer than before, you risked it.

Not knowing who's room this was, you end up ducking into their bathroom, and hiding under the sink.  
It wasn't comfortable, by any means. Not having much time, you had hid under the side with less room for your head. Despite piping being in the way, there weren't any cleaning supplies (or really anything, surprisingly), so you supposed that you shouldn't complain. Even if it was mentally.  
Listening to the footsteps, they stop nearby.  
You hold your breath.

For a good few moments, nothing happened.  
Not a _sound._

Then, slowly, the footsteps entered the room. There was something clicking open and shut.. you took an educated guess that he was checking the closet. Then, the footsteps brought him into the bathroom.  
The heavy steps were surprising, now that you thought about it. Despite Tick being less than two feet away from you now (and you were pretty tense, no lie), you thought that socks would help make his footfall.. quieter than it was. Unless.. he was making it a warning factor..? That made sense.. make the chase last longer; make it more fun for his prey. Make it more playful, or whatever.

The shower curtain opened, and you were glad you didn't hide in the tub, like you had initially planned to do.  
Then another voice came into play.

"What do you think you're doing?"  
For a heartbeat, there was silence.. then, you had guessed it right earlier; Tick answered.

"..lookin' for something. Did you hide it?"

"Don't know what you're talking about.. but this is _my_ room, inside of _my_ territory. You goody-two-shoe types have the downstairs, don't you? **G e t** **o u t** **o f** **h e r e .** "

"..eh. 'Kay. But if you find my prey-"

"Oh..? Your 'prey' got past you.. all the way up _here?_ " ..there was a demented sort of giggle, "They must have a _death wish,_ huh?"  
There was a silence that filled the air, and you could feel how tense it was.

"Alright, I'm going.. buuuut, I'm checking _one last place~_ "

Ice cold fear ran through your veins.

As you listened, however, you payed special attention on how the footsteps were getting further and further away from you.  
..silence.

"So, did you find your _prey~?_ " More giggling.  
This.. skeleton, you were sure, made you nervous. You didn't dare peek out from your hiding spot while they were so nearby.

"..nope! But, that just means they either snuck out of here while I wasn't looking, or they gave me the slip and were never in here to begin with! It's been a while since the wool has been pulled over my sockets, heh; this is gonna be fun," a pause, and more footsteps, "Anyways, I'll be on my way now."

"Don't die out there.." One more strange giggle later, and the door was slammed shut, followed by heavy footsteps fading away.  
Then, there was silence.  
And silence.  
And silence.

Scared to breath too loudly, you desperately didn't want to alert this Sans to your presence.  
Despite your controlled breathing, your heart nearly stopped when you heard whispering, right on the other side of the wooden cabinet door you were hidden behind.

"I know you're there.. I can _smell_ you, you know? You're so sweet.. the fear and the sweat makes a _lovely_ combination.."

You nearly screamed.  
Panic was racing through your body, and you could hear him, scratching on the door, messing with you, giggling in that disturbing, frightening way that made your hair raise.  
It stopped.

The door opened in a painfully slow manner..

You were staring at a Sans that had a red, and a blue ring around his left eyelight.  
There was no movement from you, other than swallowing loudly.

He grinned even more.

"Aww.. you're just downright _petrified,_ aren't you..? Good.. you **s h o u l d** **b e .** " He started on yet another wave of giggling, creepy laughter, and you stared at him as his sockets grew a bit wider, and he leaned towards you.

"You're coming with _me._ " As he grabbed your arm, he roughly dragged you out of the cabinet and down the hall. Every time you tried to stand, he would pull on your arm harshly, making you fall back to the floor.

Eventually, after two lefts, and three straight hallways, he was done pulling you around.  
He knocked on a door, and waited. You didn't dare try to get up again.  
After a few moments, Error grumpily opened the door. Upon seeing you, he froze.

"W-What the act-t-t-ual fuck are you doing-g-g _up here_?"  
From your spot on the floor, you shrug as much as you're able to, looking at him with a pleading expression.

"I should l-l-let Dust teach you why this is ou-r-r-r territory; but Classic would k-k-kill me if I let you get hurt-t-t," sighing, Error waved to Dust, "Let her go, I'll-l-l put her back downstairs."  
Free from one hand, only to be snagged by another was mildly infuriating.

"She's lucky, you know.. that I found her.. she's absolutely _loaded_ with exp.. even if she _is_ only at level one. I bet that she killed herself a few times in her own timeline." Dust grinned as his strange eyelights bored into your soul, rocking back and forth on his heels in an eerie way.  
You stared at him with a small amount of fear.

He.. shouldn't be able to know that.  
_None_ of the others knew that. He _shouldn't be able to know._

"C-C-Can it, Dust. Go back to what-t-t-ever it was that you were doing."  
Dust shrugged, walking away backwards. He didn't stop watching you until he turned a corner; and even when he did.. he paused, stopping where you could only see half of him peeking out..

Then he was gone.

Pulling you up, Error made a portal (a glitched out one, at that) that led to one of the downstairs main rooms, to which he shoved you through rather ungracefully. You stumbled, and when you righted yourself and looked back, both he and the weird portal were gone.

On one hand, you found where to go in order to find the more lethal Sans'.  
..on the other.. you didn't really want another run-in with Dust..

Suddenly, you realized you were still in mortal danger.  
..if you could figure your way out back to Lust's room..  
...

Or the room _next_ to Lust's room.  
Then you would _never_ be found, because Tick wouldn't expect _that,_ surely.

With a new battle plan, you locate the nearest set of stairs, and wander about for roughly an hour. You were about to stop and ask for directions when you seen Tick in the distance, passing between two rooms, and only briefly setting foot in the hallway.  
This would have panicked you, if you hadn't noticed that he actually looked rather hurried, and a _teeny_ bit stressed out, even from a distance..  
Guess he didn't notice you then.

With that in mind, you quickly moved in the opposite direction you see him heading, careful to keep to any shadows you came across.  
..you were grateful for the mostly-black clothes Lust had borrowed you, and dark grey shirt you had kept from your pursuer.

Going through several different rooms, up and down five flights of stairs, fifty-two right turns; and forty-six left, you only spot Tick one other time in the distance; even farther away than he was before. He was going down a flight of stairs, so he would be below you. ..which, honestly, was even better.

Now, however, you really were exhausted, and right when you had been about to ask the next person you seen for directions; you seen it. The miraculous door that, while it didn't quite promise safety, _did_ let you know when Lust and Pink would come back to 'fetch' you. You finally relaxed. Heading towards the door to the direct right of the one that promised salvation, you felt something.. frightening. Something wasn't right.  
Someone was watching you.

Slowly turning around, you could once again feel your adrenaline rushing back to you.  
Tick was at the edge of the hallway, in the middle of taking the last step up from the staircase. The grin he sported as he locked eyes with you was.. beyond terrifying. It promised a lot more than you could probably take. His eyelights lit up, the emoji one taking on a brighter pink than usual. Tick made his way up the last step and onto the platform of this floor, slowly; as though not to frighten you off like some scared animal.  
You could hear something.. he was.. chuckling. A lighter-than-usual sort of tone you would expect from a Sans.. full of mischief and trouble.  
What he said next must have come out of a horror movie.

"I _found you~_ "  
Whatever spell he had on you that had kept you in place so long, broke.

As you turned to sprint, you found yourself frozen in place with his pink magic.. you were well and truly trapped.  
..you were really at his mercy this time.

"Well, that was quite the hunt..! Bravo, for eluding me for so long. While you might not make the top five, I _do_ believe you made it sixth onto my list. So close," behind you, you could hear the heavy footsteps once again; slow, deliberate, growing closer with every step, "You even gave me quite the scare, heading up to the off-limits zone.. and here I was, trying to be nice and let you sleep in, like Pink asked me to. Very clever move, as it took me a while to figure out just _where_ you could have gone to.. but! Rules _are_ rules.. I guess I'll just have to throw in a little something _extra_ as punishment." Once he got to Lust's door, he opened it, and let you float along inside behind him.

"Now, don't worry. Others tend to avoid my general direction; afraid of me targeting them.. and they'd be right to do so, heh heh. Though the point is, is that you won't have to worry about laughing too loudly.. no one will be able to hear you anyways, and even if they did, they won't save you.. least they fall prey to me as well."  
The teasy, playful tone he was using was unbearable.. it was as if he were making it sound like you would _die_ of laughter-and that was most certainly not a way you wanted to go.

"Since we were.. _interrupted,_ last time, I figure we should take all the time in the world with this round, hmm?" Closing the door behind you, he clicked the lock loudly, purposefully letting you know that you were trapped in here with him.

You would have shivered, if you could.  
Instead, you let his magic drop you on the bed, crawling away from him as soon as you had been freed-  
Or well, trying to. It was kinda hard to do when he grabbed your ankle and dragged you back to him.

"Ah-ah-ah~ There's no where to run now, kiddo~ Just _you,_ and _me,_ " flipping you onto your back, he moved your frame to the middle of the bed. He was easily able to climb on top of you, straddling your hips. The way he was expertly using his weight in order to manipulate your limbs, it occurred to you that there's no doubt he's done this quite a few times already.

"There, now you won't accidentally hurt yourself when you're thrashing around in the sea of laughter," he paused, almost as if noticing something, "Oh, and you won't be needing this anymore."  
One second, you were wearing your sweater.

The next it was across the room, on the floor.

"H-Hey!! Rude!!" Struggling against him got you no where, but you tried anyways.

"Well, I _could_ allow you to wear it," Tick paused, removing your glasses and setting them on the nightstand, all while pretending to think, "Buuuut.. it would get in the way of me doing _this._ "  
Immediately, you felt movement under your arms, and your whole face scrunched up as a grin broke across your face right off the bat.

Closing your eyes tightly; you bring down your arms to try and protect yourself, but it was too late. Tick's fingers had already found their way into your armpits; and seemed to be making themselves quite at home there.  
You were suddenly glad you got to shower and shave yesterday morning.  
Giggles erupted from your mouth not even a few moments after he started, and you wriggled around, trying to get him to _stop-_

"Aww, is someone a little _ticklish~?_ How _adorable~_ I might just have to tickle you _more,_ considering how you trapped my tickly fingers in your armpits,"  
Fire. Your face was burning. Dear god, this was too much.

Try as you may, you couldn't kick him; your legs barely moved under his weight, making you feel even more helpless. You try to buck him off, but you can't summon the strength needed to stop wriggling from his ticklish attack upon your torso.  
You were about to beg him to stop.  
..it probably wouldn't work, but it was worth a shot.

"P-Please!! St-stahahahap!! Aaaugh, ple _eeee_ heeheeheease!!" You snorted, which _definitely_ didn't help your case, judging by the brief look you got at him, and he was grinning _even wider-_

"Oh my god, did you just _snort?_ That was cute..! How about we see if I can get that sound from you _again_?"  
Wriggling around even more, you can't not move, it was torture at its finest.

"Nooohohoho, pleeease!! M-Mercyyyyy..!"  
Tick chuckled.

"Alright, alright.. I'll make you a deal. I'll stop tickling you, if you can raise your arms and set my hands free," you waited, "BUT," there it was, "If you flinch, then I am going to **w r e c k** you. Deal?"  
Automatically, you hesitate. His fingers were driving you insane, and you didn't really have a choice but to say

"Yes!!"  
The fingers stopped instantaneously.

Tick looked at you calmly, perfectly still.  
You were more than wary, but after you caught your breath (which, surprisingly, he waited patiently for), you lifted your arms with slight hesitation..  
He took his hands back, alright.  
And lightly scritched your over-sensitive skin on the way out.

Of course, you squeaked, and jerked your arms back down.  
You realized your mistake, even as Tick grinned ferally at you.

"Well, well, well.. if you _wanted_ to get destroyed, you could've just _asked_.."  
You barely have enough time to swallow before he grabbed your wrists, easily lifting them above your head in one hand.

With your body trembling, and your mind racing with thoughts of fear, excitement and adrenaline, you know that the chase is over. He won.  
Now you're gonna pay the price.

As Tick locked your wrists in his infuriating pink magic, he placed his hands at your sides and started without giving you the slightest warning.  
He was cruel, digging into your sides and ribs in a calculating way. It didn't hurt, no; it drove you _fucking insane._ The tingles and tremors running up and down your spine and skin.. it was.. almost unbearable. Laughter poured through your open mouth, thrashing your head back and forth as you wriggled and squirmed fiercely. There wasn't an inch of give between you and those dastardly fingers; creeping and crawling over your skin. Dipping playfully into the divots between your ribs. Skittering back down your stomach, and squeezing your hips.

"Heh heh heh, this is priceless. The fierce, proud human, so angry, so vicious.. brought joy and laughter from some _childish widdle tickles_.. it's adorable."

"Fahahaha.. fuck yooohoohoohhahaha," you were having troubles forming and saying complete sentences.  
You had _meant_ to say, 'Fuck you, I'm not adorable, or anything of the like," but not only did your brain fail you, but your tongue did as well.

Tick gasped, a faux anger across his face.

"Now, _what_ did I tell you about cursing..? _Tsk,_ I guess I'll have to dish out my worst punishment _now,_ then," scooting down your legs a bit, he lifted your shirt and took a dramatic inhalation of air that you are absolutely sure he didn't need..  
And wrecked your stomach.

You were now no longer able to have _any_ conscious thought, only able to focus on the intense vibrations of air on your stomach as he blew raspberry, after raspberry, after raspberry.  
He didn't stop, but he did take breaks from blowing air onto your stomach to switch to nuzzling or nibbling it; just to make sure you didn't get too comfortable with one set pattern. You shrieked and snorted once again, which he laughed at (you could feel the difference on your stomach, and instead of being a relief, it only made you laugh _harder_ ). Then he started working his hands into your sides, tickling up and down and into the lower part of your ribs; all whilst still blowing those god-awful raspberries.

"Wow, humans taste pretty good.. _nom nom nomnomnom_ ," the eating noises he made were silly, and over-exaggerated.  
..it _wasn't helping_.

The shrieking that came from your frame, the deep, belly laughter you hated, and the way you ended up arching into his raspberries when you were trying to squirm was.. indescribable. Tick, however, seemed to be living off of your laughter, thriving even. You hadn't seen a skeleton look so happy since.. ever, you don't think.

" _There's_ the laughter I was looking for!" Tick had said upon hearing your belly laugh..  
It was worst, most embarrassing kind of laughter.. the kind you couldn't control, but your body forced upon you when you were starting to reach your limits.  
..and you couldn't stop.

"Now, I have a _few_ more things planned.. think you can handle them?" He gave you a breather as he gathered a few things from his jacket; not that he expected a response from you anyways.

Wanting to shake your head, because, _no,_ you _weren't_ ready for _anything_ right now, you instead calm the residual giggles your body kept producing; phantom tickles still lingering upon your skin.  
Watching him, Tick took out a large pink feather, and a large pink toothbrush with white bristles.

"S-Seriously.. whaha..what is with you and pink..?"  
Tick gave you a genuinely surprised look.

"Pink is a good color. It's friendly, bright, and playful."  
You made a face.

"Pink is a girly color. Gross."  
He grinned mischievously.

"Well, you're about to get owned by the _girliest color,_ then."

Tick made short work of your small breather. Your skin was still hyper-sensitive after the recent attack, and the feather's spine was a lot stiffer than it looked.. on the other hand, the feather was also a lot _fluffier_ than it looked. He leaned forward, heavily leaning on his elbow, which rested on the bed now, as his palm cradled his chin. He was practically draped over your legs, but you couldn't focus on that. Tick's free hand was slowly tracing the indents of your rib cage, and you threw your head back, trying to endure the torture even as your stomach twitched every time Tick decided to drag the feather slowly back down your sides.

"N-Nnn!! Can you n-n _nnnot!!_ "  
Tick only snickered at you.

"What's wrong? This is my friend, you know. We have a lot in common," twirling the feather over your skin once, he smirked up at you, "We just wanna make you _laugh._ "  
Your face couldn't get any redder, you swore to it.

"Oh my god, can y-you stoooop being so damn fluffy??"  
A tsk was heard, and once again, you realized your mistake.

"..nah, that just isn't any fun, kiddo," taking the feather, he swirled it lightly around your belly button once, and upon gauging that you were getting too used to it; switched it out with the toothbrush.  
..looks like the light, easier to deal with tickles were over.

Carefully scratching and scrubbing it against your side to discover your limit to the bristles, he watched your face as it once again scrunched up.  
Trying to turn away from him, you shove your face into your left arm as you let out a bark of laughter that turned into a squeal at the end as Tick brought the brush up to your lower ribs in small, circular motions. He scrubbed it across your stomach for a bit, and got a few good, solid bits of laughter going (especially when he attacked the skin between your stomach and sides). ..but not the hearty, belly laugh he was looking for again. Taking the toothbrush from your lower torso, Tick sat up and straddled your hips once more, so he could move your baggy sleeves out of the way.. to more easily maneuver the toothbrush into and around your armpit.  
You went rigid.

"Oh..? What's the matter? Did I find your sweet spot?"  
Shrugging, you tremble a bit.

From the anticipation, or the fear of what he would do, you weren't sure.

"I guess we're about to find out then, hmm..? Tickle tickle _tickle~_ "  
Your first impression upon feeling the bristles of the brush against the skin of your under arm was that they were too rough; you wouldn't have to worry about it tickling, you would just have to endure a little bit of pain.

Oh, how wrong you were.  
Tick started in small, circular motions, just like he did on your sides, and you _screamed._ It didn't help that he used his other hand to dig into your other armpit, so it wasn't lonely.

"Coochie coochie coo, kiddo~ Look at you, all would up over a bit of toothbrush tickling.."  
Sometimes you wanted to kill someone.

Tick would be that someone.  
You really couldn't take the teases; even if you could only barely hear them above your own laughter. Once again, you had raucous laughter pouring from your mouth. While you might've felt weak from all of your previous squirming, you still somehow found the strength to keep trying to get away; even though you knew it was futile. Your body was straining, trying to move away from the toothbrush that tortured your armpit; pulling on the magical binds that somehow kept you in place without cutting into your skin.. despite all your squirming. The toothbrush went up and down, diagonal, and less commonly than before, small circles. Oh, occasionally it zig-zagged for a bit, as well. Tick's busy hand, however, scritched and scratched, and knead into the hollow of your other pit; making you want to squirm away from his hand, only to run into the toothbrush.  
It was a terribly vicious cycle.

As you felt him switch sides with the toothbrush, you knew you only had a momentary respite..  
And you were right.  
Once Tick started again, he was just as vigorous as he was before. He got what he wanted from you, because without a decent break; you ended up letting out your full-blown, deep belly laugh, yet again.. which only caused him to put in more effort, just to be able to bask in his favorite part a little longer.

" _Yes!_ I got to hear that beauuutiful laughter _twice_ now!"  
Be that as it may, you were starting to grow weak.

With your laughter starting to get quieter, and your struggles now non-existent, Tick thought it wise to let you go.

"Wow, that was fun, huh?" With a snap of his fingers, the magical bindings holding your wrists were gone, and you brought your arms down to your sides immediately as Tick climbed off of you.  
Curling in on yourself, you roll onto your left side, panting and giggling as your body tried to reorient itself.

"You okay there..? I didn't push you past your limits, did I?" Handing you a glass of water (where did he even-) you accepted it nevertheless, and sat up a bit only long enough to down it rapidly.

"Easy, easy.. don't choke," upon seeing your pointed look, he grinned, "Aww, c'mon now, it wasn't _that_ bad.."  
You send a more of a glare his way this time, but it's effect is a bit moot when you're still smiling as much as you are.

"It was.. a hunt.. I guess.. ahh.. hahh.."  
Tick openly laughed at your response, clearly amused.

Your body wasn't even close to feeling nomal yet, the ghost fingers still crawled under your arm; along with the toothbrush.  
Speaking of..

"I.. hope you.. wash those.. before.. you use them.. again.."  
Tick turned to you from his spot on the edge of the bed, obviously confused.

"Hm..? Oh! Usually I don't need to, as most of my victims are of the skeleton variety, buuut.. I do see your point. I had to clean them after I got done with Red. He sweats a _lot_ when faced with something he isn't familiar with."  
You stared at him in shock.

Then, you abruptly start giggling.

"Y-You've.. you've gotten _Red?!_ Hahaha!! That's.. that's honestly a _hilarious_ thought.."

"Heh heh, I don't recommend just flaunting that to everybody; but if you're in a room full of others in a pinch, he should back off," Tick winked at you, "There's benefits to being friends with the Tickle Monster, you know."  
Pausing, you stared at him.

"F..friends..?"  
He tilted his head.

"Yeah, friends. Why, don't you want friends?" He looked at you sadly, putting two and two together.. he wasn't stupid, after all.  
Your scars were in the open, and he had seen them twice now.

"Ah.. you never had many friends, right? Don't worry.. I'll be your friend." As he reached over to you, you immediately curled in on yourself, trying to protect any part of you that you could..

Your hair was being ruffled.  
Peeking over your arms, Tick smiles at you softly before withdrawing his hand.

"Y'know, what I first set eyes on you, I thought you were going to be nothing but trouble," he admitted, "And then you scared away my _prey_.. so you became my next target. I mean, sure, I got him later; but it did set me back a bit. Ah, his belly laugh was worth it though. And his face, you should see Flower's real smile," Tick grinned, then narrowed his eyes at you playfully, "Kinda like yours. _Real_ cute."

Your face.  
Your faaaaaaace..  
Burying your face back into your arms, you hear him snickering again, but you don't look back at him until he resumes where he left off.

"You.. you're not really trouble though, are you? You're just.. hurt. Hurting. Pretty bad, actually. I heard about your soul, and how it's trying to force itself to Fall Down.." the way Tick looked over at you.. such a sad, pitying expression, "I'm sorry, kid. I don't know what you've gone through, but I'm sorry life gave you the short end of the stick. On the other hand," he added cheerfully, "Good job on making it this far. Not just anyone could do it. That's some Determination right there." He pat you on the calf reassuringly.

"..I wasn't supposed to make it."  
Tick looked surprised.

"Hm? What do you mean..? If you weren't supposed to make it, you wouldn't be here kid. With us."  
You press your frame into a tighter ball, but make sure you speak clearly, if not softly.

"I have tried to kill myself.. four times, on the surface. Three, technically, because my best friend ruined one by calling the cops. I ended up actually managing it once I fell Underground, in my timeline. Twice, at least.. I can't remember, when it.. I dunno, brought me back? It's all.. hazy." You sigh.. you really hadn't intended on telling him this at all, but.. kind words make for a terrible battering ram to any of your walls.  
..or what's left of them, after your personally bubble was just viciously destroyed.

"Hey.. hey. Listen to me. Whatever life throws your way.. you made the best choices for _you_. You don't deserve to.. die, or even bleed.. just for taking care of yourself. Sure, you might've made a few mistakes, but everyone does. Try not to let it get to you.. just.. learn what _not_ to do next time. I know it isn't easy, but.. just don't give up. We're all here for you, y'know.." Tick chuckled.

"Classic tells some of the best puns, and Red is really protective, once you hang around him a bit. Flower holds that trait too, now that I think about it; but he's kinda shy. Sci.. well, from what I've heard, his recent actions really.. affected you.. directly.. so you might not like him, but he's easy to prank. I'm here for you too, you know, if you ever need someone to talk to, or a quick pick-me-up," a thought seems to occur to him, "But, uh, hey..? Maybe steer clear of Geno. He's.. he isn't too friendly towards humans."  
You don't respond, and Tick sighs before he continues.

"..I really am glad that I gave you a chance. I was originally going to wreck you and leave you for everyone to see, but.. I'm happy I didn't. After all, you didn't choose to be this way, you've just been stuck between a rock and a hard place so many times; and you've chose the options that are more beneficial. You've been hurt by a lot of people, on the surface-I can tell, I kinda have that ability, since I'm.. what did you call me, 'fluffy?' Since I'm so happy and fluffy. I can see when people are hurt, even more-so than others.." he trailed off for a few moments, "Anyways, the point I'm trying to make, is that you always do the right thing. No matter what, I can feel that from you. I'm a Judge, after all; it's in my job description to read between the lines."  
You sighed, somewhat irritated, but now mostly sad, after hearing this from Tick's perspective..

Someone you _never_ thought you could tolerate, yet..

"What does that even mean.. everyone keeps telling me, Judge this, Judge that.. Classic's a Judge too, you know.."  
Tick hesitated, then sighed.

"Heh, well, kid.. I hope you never find out."  
..you catch the ominous part of that sentence, and it bums you out even further.

Not daring to look up at him, you barely force yourself not to cry.  
That was all you did anyways, you were so stupid and useless.. It was amazing that you even survived at childbirth; because if you were any less intelligent you would be brain-dead. You stupid, ignorant whore who can't do a single damn thing right. Why did people even bother? If they all seen you with your eyes, someone would have killed you already, and they would've been in the right to do so. You're so-

..your.. your soul..

It.. it stings..

Sitting up, Tick places a hand on your shoulder, rubbing small circles.

"What's the matter, kiddo..? You need another pick-me-up?"  
Quickly shaking your head, your hesitate, putting your palm over your soul.

"..I think somethings wrong with Lust.."  
Tick's sockets widened dramatically, his grin stretching into a stoic expression.

"W h a t."

"I.. I think he's hurt-"  
"..hold on, go back-"

A portal suddenly opened, and Lust stumbled through, falling to his knees and sobbing.  
You could feel that sting much worse now, as it had evolved from a stinging pain in your soul, to a throbbing, focused point of pain. Doubling over off the side of the bed, you silently keen; while Tick watches on in horror as he puts two and two together.

You can feel yourself being picked up, and after a sudden wave a vertigo, you're dropped off in a main room that's probably on the other side of the Mansion from Lust; if the slight ebb of pain is anything to go by.  
While your deposit onto the couch wasn't very pleasant; you had to admit it was a bit of a relief to focus on something other than the dull, continuous ache in your soul that was Lust.

You didn't even know about your new environment around you until there was a face in your own, disregarding personal space.

"Yo broseph, you don't look too rad," ..where have you heard this voice before, "Want anything, my fresh friendo? Cuz you look _really_ sick nasty, my hot diggity dog."  
You only groan, making your apparent state of displeasure more obvious.

Fresh paused, standing up and putting a gloved hand on his chin to think.  
Taking off his jacket, he draped it over you before he dispersed into a cloud of confetti. You wiped some stray confetti off your face with mild annoyance, but the pain in your soul was a bit much to ignore for too long.

It took some time, but as soon as Fresh returned you noticed two new faces.

"Oh, a human. Hi."  
You didn't know the female, but she was exceptionally tall, had a decent looking tan, and only looked a bit older than yourself..

Turning to the other, you kind of knew him.. oh right; he saved you from getting an axe to the face.

"Don't I.. know.. you..?" Starting up at the taller-than-usual Sans, you just.. couldn't place your finger on it..

"Seriff. Yeah, I saved you from getting Axe'd."  
You unintentionally gave a small smile at the pun, then cringed again as the bond struck pain through you.

"I gotta go back.. Lust is.. hurt.."

They all perked up at this.

"Wait.. don't tell me you can _feel_ that bloke's pain..?"

"Broseph, that was really uncool of him.."  
Despite not having any expression when he said this, you were nearly about to snap at Fresh when something else caught your attention.

The female looked stoic. Her face expressionless, despite this new development.

"..let's get her out of here. Seriff, go check on Lust after you get us back my place."  
Seriff nodded, and after being picked up once again, and another bout of vertigo, the pain in your chest subsided greatly.

In this new environment, however, you were not expecting another female, with dark hair and olive skin.. and a couple of baby skeletons.  
Now being able to sit up with ease, you notice Seriff disappear into thin air, while the first female approached you, and you clutched Fresh's jacket a bit more tightly.

"Hi. Sooo.. you ignored me earlier, but considering the circumstances, I'll let it slide," she paused, then gestured around, "This is my home! Steal anything, and I will kill you, slowly, painfully.. oh, and Omorose! She's the beautiful young lady over there.." as she gestured towards the other, Omorose waved from her spot on the ground.

She seemed to be serving as some sort of shield as the baby skells hid behind her.  
..people have told you that you've scared children before..

Sighing, you curl into a ball, only for a someone to tap your shoulder.

"Chum pal buddy friend amigo homeslice-"  
You offered his jacket, interrupting what probably would have been a threat about his jacket.

Nodding, he takes the jacket from you, slips it on, and then plops down next to you; casually leaning against the rock wall as if it were the most comfortable thing in the world.  
As you're watching him, you hear a softer, yet clearer voice ring out. Looking up, you see Omorose standing and approaching you, much to the displeasure of the two baby bones whining from her absence.  
..she was taller than you as well.  
Great.

"I do not believe you have introduced yourself as of yet. If you did not hear, I am Omorose, and this is my dear friend, Miss Meraki. Please, won't you tell us your name?"  
As she stands in front of you, you watch her; and all is quiet.

You say nothing for a great while, until you realize that she isn't going to stop staring at you until you told her.  
Sighing, you relent, though begrudgingly.

"..my name is (y/n)," you mumble.  
Omorose smiles at you.

"I think that is a very lovely name. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, (y/n)."  
You shrug half-heartedly, returning your head into your arms.

Seriff returns, his voice breaking the silence by mumbling something to Meraki, who nodded solemnly.  
You watch them both closely. They know what's going on with Lust.  
You wouldn't let them keep that information from you, he was your _brother-_

Seriff and Meraki both glanced at you, then murmured a bit more.  
Seriff looked irritated, while Meraki appeared stoic once more, nodding her head in your direction. Seriff sighed, and made his way across the short distance in four steps before kneeling in front of you.

"I don't know if you're bonded to both, or just Lust, but," Seriff sighed through his non-existent nose, and looked you straight in the eye, "Pink is dead."  
..what?

He.. he just left a note for you this morning..  
He couldn't be..  
The numbness your were after the other day has found you again, and it was.. unpleasant, to say the least. This wasn't the type of numbness you could enjoy.. under any circumstances..  
Everything just.. shattered..  
Pink.. your brother..  
_Lust's_ brother..

"When Lust came back.. he was holding Pink's-"  
You stood up quickly.

"Take me back to Lust."  
Seriff stared at you, not like you were crazy, more like..

..like you didn't know what was best for you.

"You'll be in pain the second you're in the same universe-"  
"I _don't care,_ he needs my supp-" The _pain._

You gasp and hit your knees, holding your chest.  
What.. what was this pain..?  
Were you just now feeling.. Pink's pain..?

Or..

"-urt?? Hey!! Where does it hurt?!"  
Looking up, you barely recognize the skeleton in front of you, grabbing your shoulders and trying to force you to look at him.

..however..  
You are able to make a curved line across your chest; it was all too easy to focus on the pain.

"God.. I'm so sorry.."  
The Aussie brought you into a tight hug, even if you didn't understand why.

It didn't take the pain away.  
When Meraki leaned in, you could hear her quietly ask what what wrong, when Seriff replied.

"She just lost Lust."  
You froze.

Lust.. was gone..?  
He was the only..  
...  
..no..

...no...

 

**_..no.._ **

 

You didn't know when you started bawling, but leaning into Seriff's hold, you sobbed into his jacket; letting him hold onto you.  
His hold was firm, as he knew what loss what like, but you hardly realized he was there once you dissolved into the full, body-wracking sobs.

Your closest friend was gone again.

 

..and this time he was dead.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

_-BONUS-_

 

Lust's world was crashing around him.

Sure; a genocide route happened from time to time; but usually they were never quite this vengeful and violent. This.. torturous..  
This _painful_.

He had just come out from Grillby's strip club, having been more than satisfied with the.. extra service he had received that night.  
Pink's shriek in the distance caught Lust's attention in a snap. Racing over, to where Lust _hoped he wouldn't find his little brother,_ he spotted Pink, on the ground.

Several of his bones were broken, sticking out from his clothing at unnatural angles.

Lust thought he was going to throw up, until he started seeing red.  
He had just been about to act, when he witnessed his brother offering mercy. Lust had run out of time. The movies were wrong.. it wasn't like slow-motion at all.  
With one clean sweep, his brother had disappeared. Gone.  
In the next moment, his brother was nothing but a pile of dust, mixed in with the snow. Lust had slowly, one painstaking step at a time, made his way over to what was left of his brother's body. Kneeling next to him, the demon child gone to finish their murderous quest, Lust finally noticed the pain within his soul. The sexual high that had blocked out everything else had finally faded, and he was left with the pain of his loss.

..why?

Why had they come back to this timeline, when the one they left was a neutral route?  
Why did Pink have to suffer like.. _that_ this time..? What had Lust done wrong, to irritate whatever deities there may be so much that they had to break his brother apart before they killed him?

..why did he always have to watch his brother die..?

Lust wailed, sitting next to his brother's ashes.  
No one would hear his pained cries; it was too early in the evening for anyone to be going home with anyone else yet. Nobody was out, either satiated at home or already at Grillby's.

With tears steaming down his face, he grabbed his brothers handkerchief, and stood once again.  
..if you could call the defeated, slouching figure that composed Lust's body 'standing.' Creating a portal back to the Mansion, Lust stumbled through, sobbing as he broke down on his hands and knees. With the only thing left of his brother clutched tightly within his fist, Lust could only think of how sorry he was that Pink was going to have nightmares of that when he came back in a pacifist timeline.  
...

If there would _be_ another pacifist timeline..

Lust had no clue that you and Tick were in the room with him; even when you had doubled over in obvious pain.  
When Tick came back to his side, trying to help Lust towards the bed, Lust collapsed in the others arms; making Tick pick him up and carry him there instead. All the while, any skeleton within half of his side of the Mansion could hear his desperate cries of agony. Any soul that heard his miserable sounds, immediately knew what had happened to make one of their own make horrifically sorrowful noises.

Classic immediately teleported into the room, having heard the sounds of incredible distress himself, and sat on the bed next to Lust.  
Tick watched on helplessly, while Lust had curled into a ball, his soul clenched painfully. It was desperately searching for the missing bond he and his brother shared. Between the screaming and the loud, uncontrollable sobbing, Classic had gotten Papyrus to come in and try to comfort Lust.  
It took awhile, yet with the frenzied, shattered mindset that Lust held, it wasn't too hard for Papyrus to console him. Any Papyrus probably would have worked at this point, with how far gone Lust was.

It took about forty-five minutes before Lust stopped screaming; and that was only because he had lost his voice. After another thirty, he appeared to have calmed down, so Tick and Classic went outside to form a game plan; leaving Papyrus to watch Lust.  
It happened with moments.

Papyrus seen it.  
He wasn't stupid; he knew what had happened. Just because he couldn't remember some of his own timelines, doesn't mean he didn't recognize what happened in others. Lust's face took on a stony, stubborn quality, that made Papyrus nervous.. and a bit apprehensive of what Lust was thinking in the moment. The second Lust tried to stand from Papyrus's side on the bed, Papyrus had tried to hold him closer to his frame. Lust wasn't having any of it. Before Papyrus could react, he fell on his side. The bone attack that Lust used was so small; Papyrus didn't even notice it until it lodged itself between his upper vertebra, rendering him motionless. This only mildly surprised the taller skeleton; as he knew that Lust was ehm, _very_ familiar with anatomy. Yet, landing on the bed, Papyrus couldn't use this information to help his situation. He only watch as Lust made a portal back to his own AU.. where he had a brat to exterminate.

..Papyrus had a bad feeling that he wouldn't be seeing Lust again.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

It didn't take long, once Lust arrived.  
He had headed straight for Judgement Hall, like every time the kid chose a genocide.

They didn't make him wait.

There was something.. off, about the brat this time.  
Instead of having their regular, demon-red eyes..  
They were black.

Dark as the Void.

Lust shuddered, not having been prepared for this.. revelation.  
Yet as this.. child stepped forward, he was left with no choice but to fight. Everything was normal, from his dialogue to his first attack.  
Then it was the brat's turn.

Upon their first hit, not only were they abnormally quick; but for the briefest moment.. Lust noticed that half of their face seemed to _melt._  
As the pain hit him, and his soul started to shatter, he fell to one knee while the child stood motionless in front of him. As Lust looked up, the image of the child blurred far more that it should have.

"..you're not.. my.."

 

..he never did get to finish his sentence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, once again, Sorry I kinda stole Omorose.  
> I needed her sugar to counteract Lust and Pink's death _(because skeleton sugar like Blueberry or Papyrus wouldn't work quite right)_.
> 
> Omi goes with Mer and Ser  
> K bai


	19. The String Point Theory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: RAPE-NON CON

There are several reasons you felt nothing.

You lost some of the only real family you ever had. You don't know why. You don't know how.  
Nothing matters at this point. These thoughts.. these feelings.. _you_ aren't not supposed to have them.

Only real people can have them. Not trash like you.

 _'I really do deserve the worst.. they.. they deserved better,'_ you thought, as you lay on the stone, not even pretending to listen to Seriff as he speaks to you (at you),

 _'..now.. at least I have a good reason.. heh..'_  
From outside of your own world, Seriff sighed and turned to Meraki.

"She ain't there. Probably for the best, considering. Be glad they weren't.. legitimately bonded, or else it would've been a lot messier,"  
Meraki nodded, understanding from previous conversations with her favorite Sans.

Suddenly, Fresh spoke up.

"Yo, I know this is whack and all, but check it: if they got down with this bonded business.. it just seems suspicious, yeah bros?"

"I mean.. I don't know her..? But I know Lust would fuu-" quickly glancing over at Omorose, with the little ones nearby, she caught herself, "Fudge stick anyone, so I'm just surprised they got close enough to bond in the first place."  
Seriff corrected her.

"I've watched them interact. They were more like.. siblings, than anything. Lust and Pink treated her more like they treated each other, than anything else," Seriff paused, "Fresh brings up a fair point though.. Lust was only dusted after he bonded with her. I thought.. ah. I knew I was forgetting something. He was so at ease lately because his timeline was a pacifist one. There wasn't enough time between his relaxed state and when he got offed that the timeline reset.." musing to himself, Seriff trailed off.

Meraki looked back at you, then at Seriff.

"I don't want anything to happen in my home. I like my stuff intact; and should I need to eat anyone I would like a little more room to maneuver. It'll hurt her for a bit, but.. can't we send her back to the Mansion? She survived this long. It only eases up, right?"  
Seriff turned to her seriously.

"We can. It won't kill her anymore, the bond isn't as freshly severed.. we actually should bring her to Classic. He'll want to check her over."  
Meraki nodded, and Fresh stood from his spot.

"You two digidy-dogs stay here and theorize; I'll take her back and give Classic the down-low."  
Seriff and Meraki both shared a glance, then nodded.

"Don't do anything weird again, Fresh." Seriff warned, turning away from the colorful Sans.  
Fresh didn't even look offended, he just grinned.

"Ya got nothin' to worry 'bout, my bee-boppin' buddy; she'll be safe with me," with a wink and a less-than-graceful swing of his arm, you were once again being carried; this time by the one Lust warned you about.

..not that you were aware of it, since you were so far gone you were almost comatose.

With a colorful poof, Fresh and you were both gone.  
Meraki groaned, then thought better of it and shrugged. A little glitter actually kinda spiced up the place a little.. in moderation, of course.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

When Fresh popped up in front of Death without warning, you could say Death was a little surprised.  
..and a tad bit irritated.

Fresh looked around, taking in the sights of the main room. Suddenly, over-dramatically, he noted Death right beside him.

"Yoooo, broseph!! My chill friendo, my-"

"What?" Death sighed, "What do you want?"  
Fresh grinned and held you up, wriggling his none-existent eyebrows.

"Boss man lookin' for this?"  
Death stared at Fresh, then slowly took his eye lights away from his face to see your frame.

..it looked a lot smaller than it usually did.

...  
..your.. soul..

With a snap of fingers, Death looked back up, startled.  
Fresh was giving off a too-wide grin.

"Not cool, bruh. Souls are private. You know that."  
Death leaned back into the shadows of his cloak, thoroughly scolded.

"..she's falling again. If something isn't done, she won't survive. I can feel it."  
Fresh sighed.

"Thought so. Didn't wanna correct Seriff, but, guess we gotta take dramatic action now," Fresh peered into Death's hood, leaning forward a bit. There was still a foot of distance between them, but Death still wasn't comfortable being so close to the other.

"So, broski," Fresh continued, "Where's Classic?"  
Death thought about this for a moment.

"Last time I seen him, he was in the meeting room. Fourth floor, east side of the Mansion."  
Fresh backed off, grinning normally.. if not looking too happy.

"Thanks amigo! See ya on the flip-flop!" Fresh disappeared into another cloud of glitter.

..Death was a little more than irritated now, since said glitter was all over his clothing.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Once upstairs; Fresh popped out near one of the bedrooms; it still looked empty when he passed by.  
He shrugged; figuring it would be filled eventually.

Now, Fresh dealt with the problem of locating-

"Are ya fuckin' serious?!"  
There was a crash a few rooms ahead.

Aha.  
Found them. ..it was just as well; his arms were starting to get tired from carrying you. Humans were heavier than they looked.

Walking forward, Fresh turned the corner and followed the source of the noise. Three doors down, right side. It was closed, but with the amount of noise there was, there might as well not have even been a door right there.  
Or a wall.

Fresh was about to open the door, when he heard some.. interesting information.

"You obviously aren't the right type to even _be_ on a science crew, Red. You're brash and violent; and letting your anger get the better of you, _isn't_ what scientists are supposed to exceed at."

There was a heavy pause.  
Noting how heavy the air was, Fresh wouldn't have been surprised if someone's magic was being put to use.

"As for you, Sci," there was a sigh, "I can't believe you went against my orders. AGAIN."

"I wasn't going against-!"

"Y-Y-Yeah you were. I caught you doing it. You don't ha-a-ave to lie about it."

"It wasn't-! It didn't have anything to do with her!! It only had her soul readings; and they wouldn't have even affected her!"

"You might be right. But that wasn't the point of your experiment, was it? Trying to contact Gaster..? We all know he has direct contact with her soul. He's left his marking on her, multiple times. Gaster dropped her off in the Anti-Void, for goodness sake! Error and I _found_ her!"

"But he _won't kill her-_ "

"Hahaha-a-aha!! That doesn't mean he can't _torture_ her!" There was a chuckle, obviously from Error, "Ahh, the 'good' versions of the Sans' are always so s-s-stupid.."

"Error, this isn't the time."

"Whatever."

"Both of you, knock it off. I'm holding a vote," there was a deathly silence, "You know the rules. Two out of three, or a solid three dictates if you stay, or are banned from the Mansion." Another pause.

"If you're for giving them another chance," there wasn't a sound; not even the sound of clothes rustling.

"For being banned." This time, there was a sound Fresh hardly caught.

..it was the low growl that came from Red.

"You _**fresh fudge-muffins-**_ "

Fresh realized he had been caught, and opened the door coolly.

"So, I went and got ya somethin' you _miiiight_ be interested in,"  
Classic gave Fresh a flat stare, not being in the mood to do anything to him for eavesdropping.

..that didn't mean he approved of it.  
Fresh caught this look, but held you up just the same.

Oh, he knew this was a precarious situation. If anyone less were holding you, then you would have already been dead; judging by Sci's glare. Surprisingly enough, Red took a deep breath -though he still looked like he wanted to murder someone- and disappeared; probably having went back to his timeline.

Sci took one step forward. He wasn't stupid. He knew there were three other Sans' much more powerful than himself in the room.  
He glared at you hard; if his eye lights were any hotter with obvious rage, they could probably turn you into molten lava.

It was then that Fresh walked up to him. He had placed you haphazardly in a nearby chair, then casually strolled up to Sci. Without placing a finger on the shorter skeleton, Fresh leaned forward, within inches of the other's space, and tilted his his skull down, tugging his glasses a bit.  
Of course, with his back turned to the other three, he knew only Sci could see his face.  
Oh, and when he _seen_ it..

"Buddy, pal, chum, friend.. touch her and I'll infect your entire universe. M'kay~?"  
Sci nodded, his face pale.

Fresh may have let it go too far.  
With the soul he possessed pulsing behind the glasses, which was quickly swallowed in short, purple flames, Sci looked intrigued for a hot second.. then horrified as realization dawned upon him.  
Fresh always loved the response he got from first timers. As Sci stood there, Fresh stood back up, rolled his shoulders, and strolled back to you. He didn't pick you up yet, but he wasn't going to let Classic have you until he had a decent science team together.

Classic sighed.

"Ink, get Sci back home. Error, any recommendations for the new science team?"  
Both Ink and Error looked surprised; and when they exchanged glances, Ink scowled before leaving with Sci, while Error smugly watched him go.

"Yeah, actually. Slim is actually pretty good with wiring and most electrical-based appliances. Medicinally, you should ask Pup. Believe it or not; most of the stuff he has isn't weed.. but it's not in my place to talk about it." Shrugging it off, Error stopped there.

Fresh was intrigued, while Classic looked conflicted.

"They're both Papyrus.'"  
Error stared at Classic.

"..and? What's your-r-r point?"  
Classic hesitated.

"We agreed on no Papyrus' knowing about.. this," he gestured to your still form, "They-"

"Would you prefer I brought in Blue instead?? Oh r-r-right! Because the _last_ two Sans' turned out _so_ well as a fuctioning t-t-team."  
Fresh was surprised Error didn't-

"I-I-Idiot."  
..never mind.

Classic, being the thoughtful leader he was, slumped his shoulders and rolled his skull back in defeat.

"Fine. Go get them. I'm going to talk to Fresh quick, then meet you down in the laboratory."  
Error opened his portal and left, and Classic turned to Fresh, exasperation and exhaustion written in his features.

"What do you want, Fresh?"

"No need to be rude, homie! Just wanted to make sure our human was a-okay! ..she's ain't, fyi. Dawg, she's Fallin', and not in any romatic way."  
Classic took a moment to decipher the other's words.

Then his eye sockets grew large.

" _ **Fudge,**_ " Glaring at Fresh, Fresh only shrugged.

"Wouldn't happen if you crossed out that colorful lingo, yo."  
Classic reached for you, and Fresh let him.

He brought up a *Check.

_(Y/N)_

_LV 1_  
_AGL 9_  
_STG 15_  
_END 18_  
_INT 12_  
_5 HP_  
_Kindness/Justice/Perseverance Soul_

_*Will end self at any cost._

Classic was silent.  
This wasn't the first time he checked you, he knew most of this already. However..

You dropped down.. three HP..  
Three hope.  
In the past six hours since Lust was dusted, you had dropped three hope. That didn't give them much time to work with.. and with you being unconscious, Classic wasn't sure if they would be able to save you this time.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Once Classic got you down to the lab, Error had already managed to herd Pup and Slim there.  
Both were trading bad puns to each other; much to Error's mixture of overly-obvious irritation.. and carefully-hidden amusement. The second Classic appeared, all three looked up. Slim winced, Pup tilted his head, and Error didn't show any change of expression; other than the only slight appearance of amusement draining from his face.

"Alright. We have a problem," Classic started, "She's Falling Down."

Slim didn't look surprised as he took out another cigarette.  
Pup.. was taken aback. His large nostrils flared out smoke for a second, his own cigarette completely forgotten about. Error, who was on Pup's left, waved the smoke out of his face; taking a step away from the two.

"Uh.. _what?_ "  
Slim looked up at Pup.

"Basically, she and Lust had a partial bond. You're new here and everything, so I'm not surprised you don't know the latest gossip. Lust was dusted the other day, after Pink in a sudden genocide route," Pup became rigid, obviously familiar with those, as Slim continued, "So to put this simply.. she's gonna die," Slim snickered.  
Classic sighed. Again.

"She isn't going to die. Her hope has only fallen three points so far.. it's been six hours. We have roughly ten more to save her soul."  
Pup tilted his head once more.

"..she only has eight hope?"

"Not anymore," Classic moved to set you on the lab table; the same one he set you on when you first threw up Gaster's.. goop on him, "Only has five left."  
Pup nodded, then became apprehensive.

"I'm uh, not really sure what I can do?"

"Error mentioned that you know your herbs," Classic didn't even look up as he draped a blanket over you, "Got any smelling salts or whatever? We need to wake her up."

"Actually, I.. it's more like.. for uh, smoking. Things. Magically-based medicines.." Pup figited.  
Error looked at him out of the corner of his socket.

"Well, you better figure something o-o-out. Stretch isn't here right now; and we don't have time to waste searching for-r-r him," Error grinned creepily, turning to face Pup, just a little, "Unless you want free ex-x-xp. I know a couple people upstairs who would."  
Responding to the threat, Pup disappeared.

Classic turned on Error.

"Are you- do you even think sometimes?? He's obviously new, and doesn't know you've been watching him creepily through one of your portals-"  
Error's strings held Classic's mouth shut.

"Shut up. You wanna s-s-save the bitch, right? Then do it." Letting go of Classic, Error turned towards the previous machinery that had been used to go into your soul.

"Pup's m-m-medicine might not work on keeping her-r-r soul stable. I'm going into it."  
Classic's eye lights disappeared.

"Absolutely not. The last time we did that; she nealy Fell Down!"  
"She's Falling Down _now!_ "  
" _Gaster_ also _warned_ us-"  
"Yeah, because we need to be on his _beck and call-l-ll,_ right?"

A bone was suddenly lodge between them.  
A hazy burnt-orange, specifically.

"..would you two, _please,_ shut the fuck up," Slim rubbed his temples, "I can't even hear myself think." He went back to working on the damaged machinery -the monitor Red crashed into was beyond repair, but the rest of it could work fine.. eventually.

"In fact, Classic, ya wanna hand me my tools so I can work faster? I'm sure Error won't know the difference between a socket an'a clutch, so.." Slim grunted, moving his thin, tall frame even further underneath the hulking bodywork of the monitor.  
Soon all you could see were his legs.

Classic sighed and went over to help, while Error grumbled to himself.  
It was then that Pup returned.

"Okay, so.. I didn't know what kind you wanted, so I brought everything? Well, everything restorative, anyways. There are others, but they deal with more.. uh, specific, things. Very specific."

"You don't have to tell us when you jack off in your free time," Slim spoke from under the mass machinery.

"I wasn't gonna, but I mean, if you're _asking,_ " Pup's response made Slim chuckle.

"The new ones are always the easiest," he stage-whispered to Classic.

"Ha, you wish," Pup retorted, smoothly began laying out his different herbs and tools on a nearby tabletop, "What do you want?"

Pup was met with silence.

"The effects, what kind of effects do you want?"  
Error spoke up.

"Stablizing the soul's hope. Think you can m-m-manage that?"  
Pup concentrated, then nodded to himself.

"Think I can make that happen.."

"Good," Error continued, "Because if you c-c-can't, I'll end up dying when she does, and then I'll find a way back to kill you-u-u."  
Pup cast Error a strange glace.

"You need to make something strong enough to keep her alive until I get out of her-r-r soul," Error was getting nervous.

He had to stop, errors covering his entire face for a few moments as he realized what he was doing.

"I can't-t-t believe I'm risking my life for some.. _h-h-human._ Ugh, I'm getting soft.."

"Connection established. Do whatever Sci did the first time, and I'll be able to set you up," spoke the monitor.

Or, who was now behind/inside the monitor.

"How the fuck did you even get in ther-r-re?"  
Silence.

"Mmmmmagic," replied the machine.

The three outside the monitor shared a glance that all said how absolutely done they were in that moment.  
After the moment was gone, Classic went up to you and silently apologized as he put the connection monitors back onto your body. He really didn't want this anymore than you did.. but sometimes tough choices had to be made; and if it made him the bad guy..

Well.  
It wouldn't be the first time.

"Alright, Error, hold still."

"Do _n-n-not touch me,_ "  
Error nearly killed Classic; if he hadn't been as battle-ready as he was, Classic would be dust on the floor.

"Okay, okay.. I forgot, I'm sorry. Here, you can put them on yourself."  
As Error did so, watching Classic point to the spots on his own body to help Error figure it out, Pup sighed.

"Not the outcome I was hoping for.. but it's better to try it than to throw it away."  
Classic turned to look at him.

"What do you mean by that?"  
Pup looked up from his chair at the table.

"Usually they're supposed to turn a strong yellow color when crushed really well. I put in some herbs I designed for a human recepie, and, well.. I was expecting the pale powder to make a lighter, yellow-ish glow. Instead, well. Look for yourself."  
As Classic -and Error, from his new chair not too far away- peered inside the dish, they noticed the dull, brown-ish, tan sort of color.

"I mean, it's not far off, so I know I'm on the right path," Pup paused, "However, I do need to see the effects to see what I need to change for her specific coding."  
Classic nodded.

"Alright, but you get a half hour before you try again. Burn more powder if the effects haven't kicked in yet. Just.. do your best, alright?"  
Pup nodded solumly, and Classic turned to Slim.. or rather, the machine that was hiding him.

"Ready?"  
Silence.

"Slim?"

"Oh, you were talkin' to me. Yeah, whenever you are. Problem though.. there won't be any audio or visual. Obviously."  
When he himself was the reason that the monitor was thoroughly smashed, Classic wasn't surprised.

The audio, however..

"Are you _sure_ you can't fix the audio?"

"Mmmm.. pretty _sure_.."

"We don't need the audio, I can h-h-handle it," Error looked at Classic, "What? D-D-Don't trust me?"

"It isn't even that. I just," Classic looked at you, "I feel like if we can stop her from Falling Down, we might stand a chance against Gaster.. we just don't know what her problem is, so we can't help."

"Bleeding hearts.. d-d-disgusting."  
Slim called out again from inside of the machinery.

"Everyone ready?"

"Yeah, pass him through, Slim."

Within a moment, Error was out cold.  
Classic didn't even know if he was compatible with your soul. If he isn't.. Error could deteriorate your hope even more.

Whelp, he was there now.

Without ears or eyes on the situation, all Classic could do was.. _hope._

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

You were hurting.

That's all you knew.  
Everything was a dark, deep grey around you.. and it faded into a dense blackness.

It was hopeless.. you were truly useless.  
Why didn't you just die already? Out of all the events in your life.. you were either just ridiculously lucky; or extremely unfortunate.  
You didn't know which one it was at this point.

Curled up in a ball, all you perceived was the vast, empty darkness surrounding you.

_**'Useless..'** _

_**'Pathetic..'** _

_**'Disgusting'** _  
_**'Revolting'** _  
_**'Burden-'** _

"Ar-r-re you done?"

Sitting up, you felt fear spike through you.  
Error frowned down at you, obviously disapproving everything about you. You couldn't breathe..

He wasn't supposed to be here.  
Why does he always follow you. Why is it, that even in your own personal hell, you still are haunted by the one person you try to avoid? He deserved better. You hurt him, it's your fault  
It's your fault

_It's your fault_

Error looked up from your prone, shaking frame.  
Everything was getting darker.. _darker_

**..yet _d a r k e r . ._**

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This was different than the first time.

It's been four _hours._  
Classic was getting nervous.. the first time they had you connected; it was over in two hours. Two and a half- at the _most_. Something was wrong, Classic _knew_ he shouldn't have let Error in your soul; that things would go south. Slim had said everything was alright, that your signs were stable. Pup had been working hard as well; he finally perfected the hope-stabilization in his last batch. Your hope was at three; but it hasn't fallen for the past half hour, like it was supposed to. Classic had timed it. Every time one of your hope slipped away, he made a note, timing it for the next. It had been consistent, until now.

The only positive at the moment, was that Error wasn't dust in a chair.  
That would be the first obvious sign, anyways. Judging by the look on his face, however..

It wasn't going well..

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Error was, in every sense, terrified.

There was a _reason_ he rarely went to the Void.  
This.. this was one of them.

"..w-w-what-" he glitched again, for a moment.  
When he got himself back together, he took a breath.

It was dark, that much was obvious.  
This place.. it could only be the Void. Again, he had rarely been there, only the few times he had to go, but.. this. This place, _right here,_ was.. heavy.  
Like the weight of the entire universe was upon it.

You look up at him, though Error could barely make you out in your crouched position.  
It wasn't helping him out that you were wearing mostly blacks.

"Gaster..-"  
"S-S-Shut up!! Don't say his name _here!_ "  
You looked down, and Error knelt next to you, as close as he dared, and whispered harshly.

"Look, I'm o-o-only here to get you the fuck out of here, so let's go."  
You whispered back, though much softer.

"..I.. can't.."

"What do you m-m-mean you can't?!"

"I.. don't _deserve_.. he said this place was dangerous-"

"Of course the Void is dangerous!!"

"No," you shook your head slowly, "He called it the String Point. The most dangerous part of the Void.. and I noticed that I'm able to come here anytime, with or without your -or his- permission," you grinned sorrowfully, tears starting to sting your eyes.

Error stared at you before, if only for a moment you noticed a brief sense of alarm cross his face.. then he was gone.  
He had dodged to the left, for no apparent reason.. at least, it wasn't apparent until there was a black tendril jutting into the ground next to you. It faded into the darkness, so far that you couldn't see what it was attached to.

"Fuck.. he's h-h-here.."  
You didn't move, even as the darkness got closer.

Investigating you, but not touching you. You knew what it was.. the thing you met the first time that Gaster had scared off. You briefly wondered if it guarded this spot; or just lived here naturally. Hell, it could even be, by the smallest sliver of chance, that you ran into it twice the only two times you had ever been here.  
Watching the darkness, it seemed to be wary.. it was then that you seen it.

The face.. _looked_ like Gaster, but..  
It was _melting,_ in this continuous cycle. White parts of its face dripped onto the ground in small chunks and blobs; blending into the hem of the darkness and slowly turning black like the rest of it. While this distantly reminded you of slime, you noted one other thing.

It has no arms, and its face stretched out on an impossibly long, curved neck; coming into your space and stopping only inches away from your own face.  
Pieces of it were falling onto your legs, oozing over and into your black tights and feeling cool to the touch on your skin beneath. As you sat there, it piled into your lap, and that's when you noticed that something was very, _very_ wrong.

"Erro-!"

You had tried to scream out for help, tried to back up, away from its touch.. but it was too late.  
Ensnaring you with oozing black tendrils, Error could do nothing but watch.

It occasionally reached out for him as well, but he kept dodging; finding that the use of his strings were of little use here.  
Error had to try to get you freed of this.. thing, before your soul got even worse. If he didn't, Classic would probably force him back- ..oh right. He literally can't leave until you wake up.. if this thing killed you, Error would die as well. Even if it _didn't_ kill you, he didn't have forever to work with.  
Well, fuck.  
His strings cut through the.. _thing,_ like butter.. but it just.. reattached itself. It wasn't being damaged in the slightest. However, every time Error sliced through this monstrosity -in every sense of the word- it gave a gurgling, high-pitched hissing sound, as if it still stung.. heh, good. If Error can hurt it in some way, he'd take it. Maybe it'd get tired of his shit and leave-

Error slid to the left, easily moving out of the way of an incoming death projectile. He seen an opportunity to bail you out of the appendages, and took his chance.  
Little did he know that it had been a ploy.

As Error teleported forward, the thing anticipated his move for the opening.  
Using one of of the tendrils that was holding you down, it shot out and grabbed onto his femur; pulling him to the ground sharply. Error was forced to kneel on one knee, sweating as he stared up at the face as it moved closer to his own. Another tendril took a hold of his other leg, and Error looked down at himself in horror as it started pulling his legs apart.  
Error panicked. He started struggling, fighting with every ounce of determination he was worth. His fighting frame only made more goopy tendrils drops down from nowhere, snaring his arms and torso as well.  
This wasn't happening, it wasn't happening _it wasn't happening-_

You stared, horrified, as the tendril that initially had taken him down now started thrusting into his shorts from the pant leg.  
Error had glitched at this point, then went limp, as he mentally shut down. The creature behind you groaned, and you noticed the black seeping down Error's legs. His body was still trembling; even though he was no longer there. This thing continued to get off on him, with a strange sort of shudder felt from the darkness behind you, you tried to look away only to realize that you couldn't move.  
You were just as helpless as Error was.

Error gave a tiny, soft moan from his unconscious mind, and went rigid for a moment before relaxing once again.  
You knew what happened. You would always remember this. This was your fault.

You had to fix it.

"Leave him alone! Please!! Don't..! Don't _touch_ him..!"  
The creature burbled a bit as more ooze went down Error's legs.

You took a deep breath..  
..and screamed.

The goop in your lap had seeped through your tights, and had already been oozing around your nethers for a while now, though it hadn't entered you yet.  
..not like.. Error, over there..

Speaking of, the tendrils of blackness let him _fwump_ to the ground; laying in the juices of whatever this creature was.  
..at least he wasn't a target anymore.

However..  
You struggled against your bonds, only to remember that you had to distract it. It was too late to stop more tendrils from coming down and restraining you, but you just had to distract it.. you had to.

You knew better than to have a solid, conscious thought here, as it echoed around you.  
So you let thoughts flicker in and out of your mind. It was dangerous, but if you wanted to save Error, your best bet would to be to act like a porn star- until it proves that it doesn't like that, of course.  
Just so long as it focused on you.

You didn't have open-ended shorts like Error; so it had literally ripped your leggings down the seems.  
A shame, too; as those were something that Lust had given you.

...  
It occurs to you that he probably would've been proud to see you take after him.

Tearing up at the memory, you hardly felt the cold slime enter you until you were painfully full.  
It still tried to fit more of itself inside of you, until you threw your head back and cried out in pain. Only then did it ease its way back out, starting a steady rhythm. Yet not as rough as it had been with Error.

You clench your walls around it; trying to make it finish faster.  
To get this done faster. To make it _go away faster-_ but to your dismay, it only made a chirping sort of sound; leaning down to nuzzle its face against yours. The chilling ooze dripped down your cheek, across your skin, and off of your chin. Landing on your shirt, it either rolled down your side, or joined the pile in your lap; waiting for its turn in your privates.

You didn't want this.

It reminded you of when..

A sudden thrust shook your thoughts, and a growling noise was heard behind you.  
You tightened your walls again, yet that didn't seem to be what the creature wanted. It was petting at your chest, trying to tell you something.. you just.. didn't know what it was.  
It started to rock into you harder; rolling against your walls with a rhythm that left you realizing that you were slowly being turned on by this.

..by.. this..

"It's almost funny, isn't it.. I always said I was a whore.." looking over at Error's frame, you gave a tear-stained smile, knowing that he couldn't hear you, "..sorry, Error.."

The creature looked to where you stared at, and you realized you were putting him in danger _again._  
Tightening your walls, your throw back your head and let out a shaky, fake sounding moan; bucking forward to meet it's thrusting.  
..or, well, trying to.

The creature turned back to you, a pleased hum emitting from all around you.  
As you tried to literally fuck this creature senseless, so at least Error stood a chance, you felt something cool inside of you. The tendril that already forced itself into your core was body-temp by now.. which means..

Well, this would be the third time this thing had cum.  
You kept working on it, essentially milking it for all it had; if it kept the creature entertained. When you felt it slowly slide out of you, you were relieved.. until a colder, newer one pressed back into you. Next to your ear, the thing that you were sure once held Gaster's face hissed in pleasure.. before it started rutting into you again. It was a tough choice; between the pain and the ooze at your clit.. deciding which one was probably the biggest turn-off you ever had was difficult. You kept focusing on that as you rode out the tendrils initial thrusting. Soon, it too became body-temp, and slowed just enough for you to once again try to keep up with it.

You weren't sure how long you had been fucking this one, but when it bled out its seed into you again, just to be replaced once more, you wanted to cry.  
Error still hadn't woken, so you were at least grateful for that.. but you really didn't want to do this forever. Closing your eyes, you knew you were getting sore and irritable; and it hurt from holding back orgasm. If you came from this, you would never forgive yourself.

..the creature seemed to think you were enjoying yourself, anyways, and that's all that mattered.

It had slowed a bit, but by no means had it stopped.  
As a pained look crossed your face again, you opened your eyes to find the creature watching you intently. Suddenly its thrusting had slowed to a near-crawl; and you were afraid it was drawing it out on purpose. You tried to buck your hips to make it go faster, but found them first firmly stuck in place; the slimy tendrils holding you fast. You hoped this wouldn't take forever. Looking down, you squirm a bit to make a point before you look back up. It's still watching you. Your brows furrowed as you noticed something changing. That cold ooze that had been your only vantage point was moving at a much quicker pace now.. faster even as you thought about it.  
You started squirming again, genuinely; a few whimpers escaping your throat.

The ooze.. it was basically _vibrating_ now.

As the tendril kept its slow, gradual pace; you found yourself panting, arching- _anything_ to try and distract yourself from it.  
It buzzed all around the sensitive organ, some of it slipping onto the tendril making its constant path in and outside of you. You held your breath, but before you knew it you had tensed; and the pleasure wracked through your body ten-fold as the ooze kept its constant movement.

Your body satisfied, but your pride and your soul pained; you look up through teary eyes and you're able see the smugness on its barely-recognizable face.  
The tendril started at a slightly quicker pace now, and the buzzing around your clit continued. You went lax now; there was no point in fighting it. Let the thing have what it wanted. It was distracted, and that was all that mattered.

The familiar coil started in your stomach again.  
Just as you felt your body explode with another more rapid wave of pleasure, you could feel something oozing out of you. As you wait for the next tendril, slow, mass movement made you realize that would never arrive. Instead, the creature gently, carefully lay you on the ground, in your own liquids, to fade back into the blackness. With it, a bit of the pressure in the atmosphere left, though you barely noticed it.

...  
You didn't know.

You really didn't.  
How long you lay there, at the String Point in the Void.. it wasn't until you heard groaning that you even bothered to move an inch. Tilting your head just enough to make out Error, you watched him prop himself onto his elbows from his stomach. ..or lack of one.

"What.. eeehhck, this is disg-g-gusting.." Looking over at you, he gave you a questioning stare.

...  
Upon seeing the state that your body was in, he immediately jumped up; freaking out about how nasty juices were all over him.

"I'm-m-m going to have t-t-to get rid-d-d of all of my c-c-clothes.. how a-a-annoying."

"Are.. are you.. okay..?"  
Error looked over at you.

"Uh.. no? I don't r-r-really remember," holding up his hand to cut you off -though you hadn't planned on interrupting- he continued, "And I d-d-don't want to. If wh-h-hat happened to me is ha-a-alf as bad as what you look like.. I don't-t-t want to know," he paused for a few moments, and silence reigned between the two of you.

"..I only rememb-b-ber a.. thing. Blobby. Looked a bit like Gaster.. must be an alter-r-rnate version that lost too much of his mind or something.." Turning to you, he sighed.

"Let's get out o-o-of here.. before that thing comes back and tries a-a-again."  
You stand on shaky legs; and as you look him in the eye, dead inside, you notice.

He hasn't been looking _at_ you since he noticed you were half naked.

"Brownie points.. Error. I didn't think you were.. the common courtesy type."  
Error huffed.

"It isn't-t-t common courtesy. I just don't want to see your-r-r ugly human body."

"Are you saying skeleton bodies.. are what give you a _boner_?" You gave a small giggle.  
He stopped.

It was very apparent from the way he stared into your eyes, the angry glint that he was about to tell you off.  
..and yet, you knew it was from the tears streaming down your cheeks that held his angry words at bay. You were doing what Classic did. Hiding your feelings with humor.  
Error would have to remember that.

"I.. don't even know how to get back, Error.."

"You have to w-w-want to wake up. To l-l-live again."

"I.. I can't.." You collapsed to the ground again, not caring what you were sitting in anymore, and heard a sigh.  
Crouching down next to you, some distance away, he spoke.

"Look. If you come back.. I'll-l-l do you _one_ favor.. just don't tell anyone about it, alright?"

"..any.. favor..?"  
Error scrutinized your face.

"..m-m-most any."

"I want you.. to help me get a blade. And when they find it.. _if_ they find it.. help me get a new one."  
Error paused to consider this.

"Just two?"  
You nod.

"D-D-Deal."  
You nod.. and focus.

After all, you had to get Error out of the String Point.. you don't want him to get hurt again.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Waking up, you notice that Error was leaned forward, throwing up black liquid all over the floor.

He was already undone from the machine, and someone was giving him an aroma type of medicine..  
Their skull.. their entire body, but especially their skull was _massive._ You didn't get a good look at them, however, because Classic was shaking your shoulders, pulling off the monitors and checking to see if you were alright.

Pulling out your soul -this seemed to be a common occurrence, despite what Lust had told you- it was three shades of grey now; with a black, slimy film coating it.  
Classic pulled back in disgust, either immediately recognizing it for what it was for, or-

"Kid, what the hell is _that?_ "  
..second choice, you supposed.

Silence.

"Kid?"

Nothing.

Shaking your shoulders again, you tried to keep from shedding any more tears.

"Error, what the fuck happened in there?"  
He threw up again.

..but at least now he had a bucket.  
You stared off into space while Classic silently stressed out.

"..that's it. You're staying with Blue for.. until I can find out what the fuck is going on. Error.. just, try to get back to me once you stop throwing up. Good job Slim, Pup. You two did good. Welcome to the science crew."

"Uh, thanks?"  
Glancing from the corner of your eye, you finally see him.

Pup.  
An interesting name, he doesn't look like a dog.. you supposed it was none of your business, and you started to zone out.

"See somethin' you like, sweetheart?" Chuckling to himself, you flick your eyes to meet his sockets.  
The way his expression softens.. he noticed.

You had been lost in thought again.  
Turning away, you let yourself be helped up. Once the vertigo passed, you found yourself being passed off to Cotton.

"C-" Wait.  
..his wings are missing..

This wasn't Cotton.. this was Blue.  
You met him a few times, but.. he was _definitely_ not Cotton. Looking back down, you don't notice the expressions of the newcomers.

They all knew. Classic, Stretch, and Blue, all in Blue's room..  
They knew you missed Cotton.. between you and Blue, it was a close call between who missed him the most.

Classic murmured something to Stretch, who led you to the bathroom as Classic disappeared into thin air.

"Just a minute, bro, I gotta help with something."  
Blue nodded, and waited on the mini-couch, resuming the movie to politely give you both some privacy.

Stretch turned to you and sighed, pulling out your soul.  
You didn't even know when it had been placed back inside. However, it came to your attention what he was doing when he suddenly jumped back; black ooze dripping from your soul.

"What.. the actual fuck.."

You said nothing, and Stretch sighed.

"One sided convo, huh? That's fine," carefully reaching under the cabinet sink, he pulled out a pair of gloves, put them on, and gingerly took a hold of your soul, "It just means I get a better chance to try and make you smile."  
He gave you a half-hearted grin before turning towards the faucet on the sink.

Stretch turned on the water; altering between the handles and making sure it was a low pressure, luke-warm temperature before he rinsed the ooze off of your soul.

"Hey, you outta be careful around the stairwells,"

Silence.

"You can't trust them, I'm telling you,"

Nothing.

"They're always _up_ to something," Stretch snickered, though you gave no reaction.

"Knock knock,"

Nada.

"Doris."

Nope.

"Doris locked, that's why I'm knocking," turning back to see if you cracked a grin, his own smile faltered.  
You had the same downcast look as when you came in.

He sighed.

"Whelp, you're gonna make me bring out the big guns, huh..?"

"I bought a pair of shoes from a drug dealer the other day.."

Zilch.  
Stretch shrugged and shook his skull,

"I don't know what he laced them with, but I was straight trippin' aaaall day."  
That one..

That one got a tiny smirk from you.  
Just the corner of your mouth twitching for a second.

..judging by the way that Stretch was grinning..  
He watches your reflection in the mirror as he continues to rinse the black off.

"You liked that one, huh? I'll have to _knot_ forget to tell you more like those,"

You looked away.

"Really, I'll give you jokes like these for free. It's my calling. I swear, there's no _strings_ attached,"

A little huff escapes your nose.

"What's the matter? You haven't told me how bad my jokes are yet. So that means you either like them.. or you're tongue- _tied,_ "  
You look at his reflection, a small, _small_ tired smile tugging your lips.

He looks so smug, seeing you struggle against his terrible humor.  
It almost makes you forget the reason that slime is on your soul.. and just like that, your smile is gone, and tears replace any form of happiness you just had.  
Stretch notices it too.

After he rinses the last of the black off of your soul, noting that it's a dark grey, even without the sludge on it, he turns to you and eases it back into your chest.  
You know what he's going to do, what he's going to _ask,_ before he even does anything.

"Kiddo.. what happened..?"  
You can't hold his gaze for three seconds before you turn away, disgust and shame written all over your body language.

You leaned against the wall, sliding down to the floor while sobbing quietly.

"H-Hey..!"  
Easily picking you up, he carefully steps over the mess on the floor and leaves the bathroom, depositing you next to his brother.

"I'll be right back.. don't want anyone to slip on that.. stuff.."  
Upon his wording, you curl into a ball on the cushion beside Blue.

..you could still feel that.. thing..

Blue, to his credit, gave you your space.  
He remembered that Cotton had told him once, that you never let Cotton get too close.. especially when you were obviously in need of assistance. So Blue gave you the silent company that Cotton usually talked about when he had a moment away from you.

Stretch came back into the room a few minutes later.  
Blue looked up at his brother from his seat; shaking his head vigorously when Stretch appeared to be about to pick you up. Stretch backed off, and instead knelt on the floor beside you. He tried to rub your back, anything to comfort you; but you leaned away from his touch. With no other options that didn't involve moving you, he retrieved the warmest, softest blanket Blue had in his room (which was on his bed), and draped it over you.

This was apparently the obviously correct choice; for the moment you felt it land upon your shoulders, you snatched it and wrapped it around your frame tightly.  
Stretch tried again.

"Kid.. please.. we just.. we wanna help. Really, that's all we want."

..silence.

"HUMAN. WE WON'T FORCE YOU TO TALK WITH US, BUT.. IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER..?"

"..have you ever heard.. of the String Point..?"  
Stretch and Blue shared a confused look.

"I uh.. don't think I have,"

"I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT EITHER.."

"It's the most dangerous part of the Void.. where.. it all.. intercedes? Inter-meets? What.. I can't remember what Gaster called it," you let out a humorless laugh, "Where all the universes.. all the AU's of Gaster can.. be found, I guess? If they can find it, that is.. I don't even know if that's how it is.."

Stretch went stiff, while Blue watched you seriously.

"I.. I can go there.. I guess.."

"So.. you went there.. and.. found a dangerous version of Gaster..? Well, more dangerous?"  
You turned to look at him, tears once again rolling down your face, re-wetting the dried tracks.

"You could.. you could say that, yeah.. I'd worry more about Error, though.. I didn't mean for him to.. ahh.."

"Kid. What happened?"  
You looked Stretch dead in the eye.

All was silent.

 

"..we.. we were raped."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Error, when glitching, most often has troubles with his 'r's.  
> Not in excessive amount, but more-so than any other letter he has trouble with.
> 
> ..unless he's stressed. Then all of his speech'll get fucked over.


	20. Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few early readers commented on a thing.  
> They're _onto something.._
> 
> Might have something to do with future plot.
> 
>  
> 
> I'll let you figure it out..  
> And yes, the previous chapter _was necessary._

As soon as the words left your mouth, Stretch was visibly shocked.

It was Blue who stood up a few moments later, paused the movie, and pulled his brother into the kitchen.  
After a few minutes, Blue came back in, alone, while silence persisted in the kitchen. Stretch must have left.

"I.. I AM TRULY SORRY THAT HAPPENED TO YOU, HUMAN.." Poor Blue looked at a loss.

Glancing at him, you can see several expressions cross his face.  
Anger was predominant, followed by sorrow and.. was that pity..? You turn your head away, curled into your little ball.

"It doesn't matter," resting you cheek on your knees, you continue, "Error is in more danger than I am."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"  
The new voice almost made you whip your head around in fear; least you be experimented on again.

Almost.

Yet you recognized it immediately.  
Classic.

"It means.. that Error might need some help. Even more so than I. I'm.. used to this, Classic. Error.. didn't deserve.." curling into a tighter ball, you trail off.

Rustling behind you betrays Classic's movements; he was getting closer.  
Standing directly beside you, next to Blue, you hear him.

"..kid. What did Gaster do?"

"It wasn't _Gaster,_ he wouldn't _do_ that.. it was some.. sick, perverted version of him, maybe, but.." your breath hitched as you tried to hold it together, "That.. thing.. it wasn't Gaster. It.. It.." you shuddered, needing a moment.

Classic gave you the obviously much needed brief respite, before verbally prodding you forwards.

"It..?"

"It.. _raped_ us, Classic.. It.. went after Error, first.. I.. I _tried, I tried_ to protect him..! I..!" Your voice broke, and then so did you.  
You started sobbing even louder than you had been before, and while making these distressed, hurt sounds that.. none of the skeletons in the room knew how to fix this.

 _'I've been in that sort of situation before; why didn't you change anything?! Why couldn't I at least spare Error?! Why.._ why _am I so useless..?'_  
Classic murmured something to one of the others, his naturally low tone giving him away. One.. disruption.. later -you really had to find out how your soul could feel them teleporting. Maybe it was magic?- and Blue was the only one there.

It takes a while, but your sobs start petering off, into uneven breathing as you took in the newfound quiet.

"HUMAN.. I KNOW.. I know.. I'm not Cotton.." his voice trembled as it became unnaturally soft, "but you're not the only one who lost him. He was my friend too. I didn't know him for long, but.. he was one of my best friends. He.. He really cared about you. Can't you see.. he would want you to be safe..? Going into these places.. he would _never_ allow you to go alone, if at all. Why.." there was silence, for all but a moment, "Why must you insist on putting yourself in danger?!"  
As you calmed down, you could hear soft pants.. he must be on the verge of tears as well..

"Don't you get it?! He _cared about you!!_ And you just.. _throw it away,_ like he meant _nothing!!_ I.. I promised him.. I would take care of you.. in his absence," Blue gave a watery chuckle, "I'll.. probably never even get to see him again.. never.. properly get to say.. _'s-see you later,'_ " the sniffles and hiccups behind you caused you to remain silent; heart breaking for the small skeleton, "But.. at least I respected who he was.. and I know he cared. He cared about me, and you.. and a lot.. a lot of different things," he took a few shuffling steps away before he spoke again, "Please.. don't forget that again."

The bathroom door closed and the sound of the sink turning on filtered through the door.  
He probably wanted to clean himself up. Perfect. Taking the blanket, you stand on shaky legs and swiftly move to the door, and head out into the hall. Surprisingly.. and suspiciously, it was unlocked. You don't have time to question it; you move quickly. While you still aren't intricately familiar with these halls, you know them well enough to get around by now. Down a few halls, sharp left, go straight, another left, left, straight. Down some stairs- ..well, half-way down. You have to retreat when you hear someone coming from somewhere on the next level. You wait on the next landing, tucked around the corner, listening to their footsteps as they tread past below you. Once silence reigns again, you move as stealthily as you possibly are able to, down the stairs and taking a sharp right.

As you move down the hallway, you're about to go down another flight of stairs when you notice.. Lust's room.. isn't even twenty feet from you.  
The door stares at you longingly, begging you to come visit. It must have been so long since it's seen anyone.. that anyone has been in that room..  
Almost as if you're being summoned forward, you move closer.  
Closer.

Reaching out, you take the handle and turn turn it..

As the door swung open, his scent, a mixture of musk and bad cologne floods your senses.  
You close your eyes and stand there, taking in the subtle warmth that it brings. You really forgot how much you missed him.

If you pretend, if you just.. forget what Seriff told you.. all the pitying looks everyone has gave you- _still_ gives you.. he's.. almost here.  
You can faintly hear him breathing, sleeping the day away after a wild night. Opening your eyes once more, you glance to the bed.. you knew he wouldn't be there.. but.. you had the faintest sliver of hope.. instead, you're greeted with a half-assed made bed -the night you slept on the sheets didn't help its appearance at all- yet despite its used appearance, it was empty and cold, devoid of warmth.. just like how you felt standing in the doorway of your deceased friend's room.

_'..was this weird? Being in his room when he was..'_

Letting your thoughts trail off, you tear your eyes away from his bed, looking around the rest of the room.  
His clothes still lie about the floor.. one of his purple socks in the corner. Lust always acted like there was some sort of inside joke about that.. you wish you had been privy to it now, just so you wouldn't feel this.. swamped with emotion. Like you're being dragged underwater.. it's heavy and thick, and it's threatening to drown you..

You turn away quickly, slamming the door shut and fleeing from the scene.  
If you stayed there one moment longer, you would absolutely break apart. Racing down the stairs, you throw caution to the wind. Let them hear you. You had to get away, you had to leave this place.. Cotton was forced away from you; Leather knew you were pure evil. Lust _died_ because you let him get close.

 _'Selfish, selfish prick,'_ you thought angrily, going down yet another flight of stairs and feeling your body being jostled with each fast-paced step, _'You really SHOULD know better by now._  
Tears make a soft plopping sound on the blanket.

When did you start crying again?  
Why do you need to cry so much? Stop being such a-

"Oof!" Rebounding off of something soft, you don't even notice two large, strong hands land upon your shoulders until you stop stumbling.

"Hey there, ya might wanna watch where you're going, kiddo," some deep chuckling, "Don't know how you missed seeing me standing here, but.."  
Looking up, you realize that a _very large_ version of Sans is keeping you steady.. he's at least two heads taller than you, and much bigger round.  
So basically, a much larger, stronger Sans.

This is, uh.  
Not an okay revelation, to say the least.

"I'm. Sorry?? Can you just," trying to shove away his hands -what is with these touchy-feely skeletons??- you notice he tightens his grip on you a bit more.  
You panic for all of a second before you're reminded of Toriel; and your first meeting with her..

More tears find their way to the surface, despite how you fight against them.

"No, no, it's okay.. shhh.. no need for the water-works, it'll be alright, kid.."

This larger Sans easily nudges you towards himself, and easily slides an arm under your knees to lift you into the air; keeping the other arm under your back.  
As you curl into a ball, you realize that you easily fit between his chest and large arms. Being this close, he simply dwarfs you in size comparison. Carrying you through the nearby doorway that he must have just come out from, there's another, smaller realization that he must have just been leaving this room when you ran into him. Of course it's another main room/living room area; because the Mansion doesn't have enough of those. There's a few chairs, and a single couch next to a fireplace; where a fire that was starting to get low yet burned. Plopping himself down in the middle of the couch, he gets settled in before wrapping the blanket more firmly around you, then holding you, face-to-chest -large chest, mind you- and engulfing you in his arms.

..safe was a word that came to mind, despite being very smothered.  
What was _wrong_ with you?? You were on a mission! This wasn't like you; you should be screaming at him, demanding to be let go, putting your hands on his chest or face and just.. _shoving_ him away with all your -very little- strength. You _knew_ you shouldn't be okay with this; not after what just happened.. perhaps you were in shock? If so, it could also be attributed to the sudden 180 turn of events that just happened.. still. There is _no way_ you should be alright with _anyone_ touching you, even if it was Lust.. yet, here you are..

..maybe it was his deep, resonating voice.  
Or his large, intimidating posture. Or perhaps, the way his frame easily swallowed your smaller one. It was safe. What.. what a father should really be.. he reminded you of.. someone.. familiar..

It must've been silent for a while.  
You could feel your body jump from your only slightly relaxed, unfocused state back to your tense, aware one as soon as the silence was broken.

"Name's- easy, no need to be so jumpy, kid. You're fine.. you're fine," slow, soothing circles were being rubbed into your upper back, just right of your spine with large, careful fingers, "..name's Bara. I take it you're the kid I keep hearing about? ..I'm.. sorry.. about Lust," a pang of pain and guilt wracked your soul, and you lowered your head, causing you to rest your forehead on his chest.. you didn't exactly have a lot of wriggle room, "..he must have meant a lot. Hey, hey..! Shhh, it's okay.. shh.."

Soft, hiccuping sounds escaped your throat, and you trembled within the larger beings grasp.  
It hurt. Everything hurt. Why.. why did you cause all this hurt..? Why were you so.. _useless?_ You _always_ did this; you were _toxic,_ not only to yourself, but others as well.. Not to mention, all the shit everyone has had to deal with while they tried to figure out what Gaster is up to; which honestly? _You_ didn't even know what you had done to piss him off, but-

Tensing, you take a sudden breath as a sense of pleasure bloomed across your shoulder.  
The foreign feeling spread over your back, in a small sort of radius.. maybe half-way down your back it stopped; along with just past your humerus and a little ways up your neck. It didn't really spread much to the other side of your spine, but you couldn't really tell when you were starting to turn into putty. All you knew was that it wasn't a perfect circle.. but at the same time, you couldn't exactly focus with your thoughts trailing off into nothingness.

"..heh. Thought that might work. I have a kid myself; you know. In my own timeline. A little bit younger than you, but.. they really like having their back rubbed when they're feelin' down. Helps them focus on something else besides. It's not the exact same spot; but seems like humans have a common 'relax' button, right about.. here," pressing along the same point, you practically melt in this stranger's touch..how is it you've never even met him, yet he knows you better than you know yourself? You loll your head to the side, resting your cheek on his chest as you're dragged down by this simple bliss even further.

As if your weren't jelly enough, it takes about ten minutes, but he manages to locate a symmetrical spot in your other shoulder.  
You don't know how to describe it; a feeling of pleasure, but.. not? It.. sort of felt akin to euphoria. It's been so long since you've allowed someone to touch you -much less _massage_ you- that it didn't turn out horribly. Albeit, you didn't initially allow Bara to touch you, yet you can't help but relax anyways. Not being able to sense any danger here, you allow yourself to lay against his broad chest, not thinking.. just feeling. He's.. surprisingly soft. There seems to be a large belly that you're splayed over, but, you know; with skeletons having expressions, sighing all the time, and drinking a random assortment of condiments, why should you be remotely surprised by this discovery. Then there's the rumbling directly beneath your head.. it was.. nice. Not that you would admit it out loud.  
The rumbling against your cheek, mixed with the amazing sensation of Bara's fingers driving any and all tension from the muscles in your back.. you start nodding off, barely listening to the quiet, pleasant murmurs he softly speaks, which only further served to lull you.

Alarms distantly go off in your head, but you can't bring yourself to worry about them.  
_'This is dangerous. Your defenses are down. Someone's gonna get hurt..!'_

You shuffle a bit, squirming as the thoughts try to grow more persistent, only for this new person to quietly shush you.  
Adding just a bit more pressure to his digits, and the rumbling gets a little louder.. where were you going again? And _why_..? It was so comfortable right here.. your head returns to its place on his chest, body sinking into his embrace once more.  
For the first time in a great while, you notice that your breathing is even, and you're completely at ease.

..until you spotted Axe standing in the doorway directly in your line of sight.

When your breathing abruptly halted, and your tensed once again, Bara tried a bit harder to subdue you back into that eased state he had you in. It wasn't until he felt you gripping into his shirt -to be fair, you thought it was the blanket you were clinging to- did he look up and notice Axe himself. The skeleton beneath you growled upon noticing the other.  
It wasn't the first time you heard a skeleton growl; but fuck if it wasn't the most terrifying. You're just glad he was on your side.  
..not that you had the vantage point, but if you had been able to look up and see him; you would've noticed the dark, threatening scowl on Bara's face.

Why were you scared..? This.. this isn't your normal reaction.. the answer to your needs is _right here-_

Axe only stared at the both of you, eye light flicking back and forth between the reclined Bara, and the human plopped on top of his stomach, practically hidden in an overly-poofy blanket.  
The slow, wicked grin that spread across Axe's face sent shivers down your spine; and only made Bara growl louder. Axe slowly turned, leaving from the direction that he came from, and Bara slowly let the growl peter off. It faded into the rumble you felt before, even if this rumble was now weaker, not as.. potently relaxing.

As if Bara read your thoughts, the rumbling in his chest once again grew to its former glory.  
He started in on your back again, slowly being sure to incorporate your neck into his work as well. Struggling against him, realizing you have to start moving again-sure, this was a nice break, but-

"Easy, settle down squirt.. you ain't goin' no where.. not until you let me take care of you."

Slumping against him, you're disappointed in yourself for giving in so easily.  
Not that that was a surprise. But.. this felt.. so good.. and it's been so long since--  
Your eyes pop open.

Since Lust.  
Lust.. had amazing skills to help you relax.

You are suddenly _extremely grateful_ that you stayed relaxed for that revelation.  
How were you going to get out of this situation? You couldn't take this anymore, knowing that Lust was the last person to help you relax..!

"Settle down, hey.. hey? What.. woah! _Easy!_ "

Bara held your shoulders out at arms length, your soul already out.  
He suddenly looked very uncomfortable, purposely glancing off to the side as his face lit up a deep blue.

"Uh.. can you put that back, kid? _Now?_ "  
..At least one person respected souls-besides Lust and Pink, of course.

"I.. I c-can't.."  
Bara glanced at your face; clearly torn from assisting you and giving you privacy.

"Relax, it-it's okay.. just take a deep breath-"

"I _can't_ relax! How can I _possibly?!_ Everyone I loved is.. is _gone_.. and it's.. it's all my fault.."  
..you didn't have any more tears to shed as you stared down at your soul.

It was a solid grey now.  
There was no difference between your colors. A solid, charcoal grey. You could feel yourself start to tremble as you watched it start crumbling at the edges. Small pieces were falling off; it wasn't dust.. but entire, tiny chunks. A few landed on Bara's shirt.

" _..damnit, kid.._ "

You knew he would try to whisk you back to Classic, back to anyone who would try to help, but.. you _couldn't_ handle them right now.  
You couldn't handle anyone.

You pulled together your half-constructed plan you created just moments ago, before your soul popped out.  
It was sort of clever, as long as you could get a little.. lee-way.

Looking over Bara's shoulder, you shrieked.  
He immediately turned, letting you fall on the cushion of the couch for a small amount of protection while he fought off any potential threats. Seeing none present themselves, he glanced back down to you just in time to get a blanket over his head.

You thanked whatever deity that was watching over you in that moment, and ran for it.

Unable to force it back into its place, your soul just kind of.. sat out in front of your chest, roughly a foot ahead of you.  
It didn't glow, thankfully, or else that might be a bit distracting while you run away from this new potential 'savior.' Speaking of, the cursing, mixed with the heavy thud on the floor, tells you that you just bought yourself a little more time.  
You weren't going to waste it.

Sprinting up the stairs two at a time, your could feel the sluggishness in your body slowing you down.  
Whether it's from not 'eating' properly, or from just being in such a relaxed state a few moments ago, you're slower than you used to be. Your energy levels are lower too; but that might just be from your previous workout and crying your eyes out continuously.

Sharply rounding the corner on the next landing, you can hear very heavy footsteps practically stampeding towards you, then stopping.  
You kept running, of course, heedless of the amount of noise you yourself are making. You needed the distance, after all.. if you can get away from Bara; you can locate Axe.  
Axe can definitely.. _relieve_ you of your current situation.

With all this planning going on, it didn't occur to you until a moment too late, that you actually should have chosen to hide instead of run.  
A moment too late, what Bara is capable of. What _all Sans'_ are capable of.

This time when you ran into him, he was prepared.  
The blanket that you had used to slow him down was now being used to ensnare you once more. Not that it was hard for Bara to wrap you like a burrito; you did just speed right into it.

..fucking teleporting skeletons..

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

As Bara easily carried your squirming frame once again, your soul sat just outside of the fluffy blanket for anyone to see.  
Bara tried to ease it back in himself, but it refused. By now, all of the edges had become jagged and rough.

Bara walked swiftly, teleporting every so often.  
He tried to do it as little as possible, because every time he did so, it seemed to upset your soul even more. You had tired yourself out at some point, you don't remember which hallway it was, but as you started to doze, you could almost-

"Hold on, kid.. we're almost there.."

When he turned the corner, Fresh stood in the middle of the hallway.

"Sup, broseph?"  
Bara huffed, quite clearly not in the mood.

"Move it, kid; the human-"

"It right where I need 'em, yeah."  
Bara paused to cast a questioning glance down to the shorter Sans, but before he could utter a word, Fresh gripped onto his large ulna.

"Let'er go, bruh. I kinda need her.. and more specifically, her soul."

"Not a fat fucking chance," Bara all but ground out from between his clenched teeth, "Like hell I'm just giving you my kid."  
Fresh tsked.

"Too bad she ain't your kid then, dawg. She don't belong to _anyone here._ "  
Before Bara could retort, he groaned, falling to one knee.

"This is only the first symptom of infection, bruh. Now, hand over the dudette, or it'll have to get _physical,_ " when Bara only held you closer, Fresh sighed, "Warned ya, homeslice."

Now, you weren't entirely sure what Fresh was doing to Bara.  
The second Fresh had made a move towards the two of you, Bara moved you ever-closer to his chest.. which meant now you got a face full of his shirt, and the chest underneath it. Bara's groans of pain wracked his body, and you could feel him as he started to violently tremble. This guy didn't even _know_ you; he had _no reason_ to care so much-

"K-kid.. run.."

That soft-spoken sentence which you almost missed was the only warning you got before you were suddenly dropped; landing in a pile full of ash.  
..no. It was dust. You looked up, just in time to see Bara's soul starting to shatter. Without thinking, you reached out and grabbed it.

It was warm.  
Suddenly, you panic, not wanting to absorb it, but.. you don't absorb it. The soul sits calmly in your grasp. It isn't shattering either.  
A low chuckle makes it's way to your ears.

"Nice trick, broseph. How'd you manage that?"

"..you.. you _traitor.._ "

"Hey, that's a bit harsh, amigo, don't'cha think?"  
You stand, taking on a defensive posture as you scream at him; holding the soul close.

"There's a _reason_ Lust didn't trust you!!"

Fresh returned to his neutral, infuriating grin.  
It made you want to hit him.

"Yeah, he was right. Heh.. but he only cared because he bonded to the thing I needed. Now, broski," he pulled down his glasses, showing you the terrifying sight of a trapped, eternally cracking soul, "Take me to the String Point. We have a deal to make."

"I.. I don't-"  
His laughter interrupted you.

"Don't tell me you don't know! You've been there, what, twice now? I've been watching you, bucko. I know you can do it."  
Your tongue flicked out, quickly licking your lips as you hesitated.

How have you not noticed him?  
When has he been watching? Looking at him, staring at you.. you realized you didn't have a choice.

Glancing down at the soul that.. gave itself to protect you..  
**Determination** flooded your veins.

You _will not let this one come to harm._  
Looking back up, his expression remained the same.

"Fine. Let's go."

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

It was dark..  
Then again, this place was always dark.

"Alright Doc, I brought her back. Her timeline ready so soon..?"

The terrifying, immaculate, slender version of Gaster that you have come to know as the 'main' version of Gaster presented itself to you.

" **Indeed. She has no reason to stay in the Anti-Void any longer,** " turning to you, he pauses, nodding at your hands, " **What is it you are holding, my child?** "  
Looking down at the soul you hold in your hands, you tremble, tearing up.

You're scared.  
_You're so fucking scared._

"P.. please.. can you.. send him back.. to his own timeline..?"  
Gaster watched you carefully.

" **..you have behaved quite well.. I suppose I can even restore his coding for you, though he won't remember your final farewells.** " With a flick of his wrist, the soul was wretched from your grasp, and you cried out as it left your hands.

" **Hush. Pay attention now..** "

As if on cue, the soul healed, and a large frame formed around it, until the soul was no longer visible.  
He blinked a few times, then stumbled forward, collapsing to his hands and knees.  
You didn't hesitate to aid him.

"You.. you _idiot,_ " you practically spat at him, your anger fading into relief that he was alright, "I thought you would.. I thought.."  
Bara looked over at you as you knelt beside him, hugging his arm.

"..thought I told you to run. Heh.. kids these days.. so determined," sitting back on his knees, he easily plucked you from your spot and held you close; practically squishing you against his front, "..thanks for taking care of me, kid."  
Letting out a confused noise, you look up at him, just to feel him chuckle.

"Souls are aware, kid. What do you think we are right now?"  
You froze upon this realization.

"So does that mean.. you aren't.."

" **He is restored. Upon entering his own timeline, he will be fully set once more.** "  
Bara looked up at Gaster, instinctively holding you closer.

"You mean me and my kid, right?"

..that was the wrong thing to say.  
Gaster looked infuriated for all of a single moment.

" ** _No._ She will remain. Her own timeline is finished, and she must return.** "  
Gaster straightened himself as Bara looked down at you and gave a small, sad smile.

"Guess this is goodbye, huh kiddo..?"

"Answer one thing for me first, please?"  
Bara nodded.

"Why.. do you claim me? You.. don't.. know me, or what I've done-"  
He chuckled.

"Kid.. your soul reminds me of my kid. My Frisk. They're so damn similar that.. how can I _not_ see you as one of my own? You're hurting now, yeah, but you try _so hard.._ I might not know you.. but I'm proud of you nonetheless."  
Bara placed a kiss on the top of your head.

The room got _very dark._

" **It is time for you to go.** " Gaster hissed, barely visible now.  
Fresh wasn't much better; his obnoxious color scheme muted greatly in the permeating darkness.

Bara nodded, standing up and carefully setting you beside him.

"..bye kid."

"I'll.. I'll miss you.."  
He turned to smile at you.

"Me too, kid."

..and he was gone in the blink of an eye.

The moment after Bara disappeared, things seemed to get lighter.  
Then Gaster turned to Fresh.

" **Our deal cannot stand. What you ask for is beyond my capabilities; beyond anyone's capabilities. To be able to go to the universe of your creators, cannot be achieved.** "  
Fresh was rigid.

"Bro. Not cool. You said you could make it happen if I kept a socket on your little experiment over there. I don't want to be here anymore!"  
Gaster looked unfazed.

" **That is not my concern.** "  
And like that, Fresh was gone too.

Turning to you now, Gaster gave you an apologetic smile.

" **Apologies for the treatment you received on your last visit here.. you needed to be taught a lesson that you wouldn't soon forget.** "  
Terror paralyzed your body.

"Wh.. what do you mean..?"

" **I specifically instructed you to stay away from the Void, unless I called upon you. In this case, I used Fresh as my method of contact. You are not free to roam about as you please; there are rules that must be obeyed by everyone.** "

Gaster let that.. thing.. _rape_ you and Error.. as.. as a teaching tool..?  
You haven't even seen a _hint_ Error since it even _happened.._  
And the way he looked at you so fondly right now.. this guy..

He really was insane.  
Treading carefully, you tell him what you hope he wants to hear.

"I.. I'm sorry.. I won't do it again.."

A pleased hum is all the indication you need.

" **It is alright, child. As long as you learned your lesson, that is all that matters. Now, come along. Your timeline awaits.** "

"W-Wait..!" The way that he turned a nonplussed look upon you, made you re-think your tactics. "I-I'm sorry sir, I just, please.. let me ask one more thing.. please.." You hang your head, trying to seem smaller.

After a minute of silence studying you, he sighs.

" **I had hoped you had laid to rest the memory of your.. friend.. Lust, was it?** "

"Please, sir.. I don't have to see them, but.. you restored Bara, so can you not restore Lust and Pink in their timelines as well? _Please?_ " You looked up at him desperately.

The way he stared back at you, at your soul, which was barely holding together.. he ran a tired hand down his face in irritation.

" **So be it. Know that you shall never be able to leave your timeline to see them," he seemed to be talking to himself by this point, "..yet it may be the only way to prevent you from falling down. That accursed bond..** "  
There was a moment of silence.

" **There. They are reborn.** "

You both must have had the same thoughts, because you both turn to look at your soul.  
It was now stable, and previous pieces that had fallen from it not too far away, were slowly floating back as it tried to restore itself. Gaster sighed in relief.

" **I thought so. As long as it has the majority of itself, it should be able to restore itself on it's own. Now,** " turning to you, he waved, and everything started going dark, " **Behave yourself. I will be wat c h i n g . .** "

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Waking up, you find yourself in a familiar spot.

The ruins.  
You scramble up, actually rather terrified. You kinda missed the Mansion already. There was.. something different now. Walking forward, you peeked around the corner. Flowey was there, unaware you spotted him. Taking a deep breath, you go to face the inevitable. Looking down, you realize you have the same clothes Lust gave you.  
And the shirt from Tick, but you're gonna ignore that.

Which means you didn't have your blade.  
So things were really going to be different then..

"Hey! Watch out, you idiot!!"

Jumping back, you stare down at Flowey in terror. You kinda forgot he existed for half a moment.

"Er.. sorry. You kinda almost stepped on my face. Anyways! Welcome to the Underground! You're new here, aint'cha?"  
To be honest.. you kinda wanted to skip this part. You had to find Sans. Did he know about the Mansion? You know they remember other timelines.. does he remember you?

You walk past Flowey.

"Hey! Hey!!"

Leaving him screaming in the background, you walk face-first into a wall of cloth.  
..you really need to start looking where you're going.. wait. It smells like pies.

Looking up, you tear up a bit.

"Toriel.."

The large goat monster looks down at you with surprise, to say the least.

"I'm sorry, have we met..? You.. seem familiar, but.."  
You don't say anything, you only hug her.

"I.. I.."  
As her motherly instincts take over, she places a hand on your back and guides you through the ruins.

She doesn't talk much, unlike the first time.  
Though, she does leave you in one room, then basically sprints to the other side. ..while you questioned this, you did as she asked and followed her on your own. She seemed pleased enough about it, so..

"My child, I must go run a few errands, alright? Please, stay here until I return for you. The puzzles ahead are a bit difficult, and I don't want you to get hurt."

"Yes, Toriel."  
She shook her head.

"I still do not understand how you know my name. Oh! Here, this should help you if you need my assistance."  
She hands you a phone.  
...  
It's your phone.

The one _you lost._  
While you're staring at it in disbelief, she starts walking off.

"Alright my child, be safe while I'm gone!"  
You don't think that will be too hard..

You have plenty of catching up to do.

Opening your phone, you power it on.

**34 missed calls  
103 messages**

You decided to check the calls first.  
Just one from your mother.. and thirty-three from your best friend.

..hesitating your finger over the messages button, you check them.

_"Hey, where are you?"_  
_"I didn't see you today, you okay?"_  
_"This isn't funny, text me back."_  
_"You're being a jerk!"_  
_"If this is how it's gonna be, then nya to you too."_  
_"I'm not gonna stop bugging you until you answer meeeee"_

They go on like this for awhile, so you glance through them until you notice they start to change.

_"H-Hey, the police are looking for you.. why are you missing..?"_  
_"Just come back, it'll be okay.."_  
_"We can fix this together, just- please, come back.."_  
"At least text me to tell me you're alive.."  
_"Please be okay.. you don't even have to text me, just.. don't kill yourself, please.."_  
_"WHERE ARE YOU!!"_  
_"ANSWER YOUR PHONE WOMAN!!"_  
_"AHHH!!"_  
_"Do I have to spam you with calls or what?"_  
_"I miss you.."_  
_"Don't be dead.."_  
_"Please.."_  


You jumped as you recieved a text.

**ERROR**  
MESSAGE DELAY  
SENT: 06:40  
RECIEVED: 05:22  
MESSAGE:  
_"It's been a month now.. I don't even know if you're still getting these.. but I miss you.. I pray you're okay.. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you.."_  


You stare down at the screen.  
It was sent yesterday.. how did you even get it this far Underground? Sure, the hole wasn't _that_ far back, but still.. checking the time, you notice that you've wasted four hours. You shut down your phone as you hear someone coming back to you.

"Oh, my child. I apologize for making you wait for so long," she offered her hand and a smile, and you got up; taking her hand and smiling back a bit.

"Thank you, Tori."

On the way to her house, you both chatted about seemingly random things; but they were actually things you've discussed before.  
You were surprised you remembered most of it, considering how shitty your memory had been getting. Nevertheless, upon entering her threshold, you kicked off your shoes the way you always did and asked what smelled so great. Toriel beamed at you, then paused as she smelled the air herself, rushing off and mentioning something burning. You chuckled, then headed off for your room. Knowing the bed was too small, you slept there anyways, because after everything you've been through.. it's just nice to be _home._

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Waking up, you stretch, and move to sit up when you stop.  
Something's about to happen. Something you won't like.. looking down, you spot it.

"Aha, you sneaky pie. Not this time."

Picking it up, you head out of the room, spotting the stairwell and pausing mid-step.  
..you did want to ask Sans.. _your_ Sans, but.. you wanted to stay with Tori for a while. You had missed her, more than you would let yourself believe. Forcing yourself past the stairs, you let yourself have this time to rest and recuperate; you could go ask Sans literally any other day.  
As you walk into the living room, you turn to say hi to Tori when you pause yet again.

Lust is sitting there in her place, and he looks up upon your entrance.

" _Bunnyyyy..!_ It's been awhile," he greeted.

You didn't waste any time, dropping the pie -which shattered the plate and splattered messily over the floor; but you just jumped over- you ran to him.  
Tackling him into the chair, a small 'wuff' of air was knocked out of the poor skeleton.

"Geez, I missed you too," he chuckled, hugging you close.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I never meant for you to get hurt, please, I'm sorr-"  
Lust easily cut you off by placing the palm of a fingerless, gloved hand over your mouth.

"Usually, I would _love_ others who have a _big mouth,_ " he snickered, "But Bunny, _shh,_ " he slowly removes his hand, "It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong.."

"IS THAT THE HUMAN I HEAR?!"

"Uh-oh, now you're in for it," Lust grinned snarkily, sockets half-hooded.

Pink popped his face from out of the kitchen, he seemed to be stirring something.

"AH, HUMAN!! IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!! WE MISSED YOUR PRESENCE QUITE A BIT!!" Returning into the kitchen, you heard a soft 'thump,' before he came back out.

Lust leaned back, letting Pink easily sweep you up into a crushing hug.  
It wasn't long before you were hugging him back.

"Tch, leave me out why don't y _ou-_ " Lust had been interrupted from his own sentence by Pink scooping him expertly into the embrace with his other arm, "Heh.. seems about right."

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Lust," you spoke softly.  
He nodded, while Pink beamed at the fact he could easily lift you both.

"Bunny.."  
You turn to him as he gently lifts your chin to look at him.  
A sorrowful smile greets you; Pink suddenly hugging you both closer while being uncharacteristically quiet all of a sudden..

"Uh.. yeah? What's with the face, Lust?"

He shook his head and chuckled sadly, before looking back to you.

"It's time to wake up.. you _hav e t o f . ._ "

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Shooting up straight in bed, you literally jump out of the bed, barely dodging the pie and tearing out of the room.  
Upon entering the living room, Toriel looks up at you in surprise.

"My child, are you alright?"

You freeze.  
What are you supposed to do..? They weren't really here.. they never were..

"I'm fine. I-It was just," you take a shuddering breath, "..just a dream.."  
Toriel's look softens.

"Would you like to read this book with me, my child?"  
You nod, and sit on the floor by her chair while she reads it to you.

 

You don't sleep very well after that.


	21. Restart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ruben will be a guardian to reader for the next two-three chapters; until Bara returns from his genocide route.
> 
> Ruben belongs to http://rubentheruler.tumblr.com
> 
>  **OH.**  
>  And if **100 people go leave them love in the next two days; by this Monday I'll post the next two chapters.**  
>  Otherwise, because I usually only write this story when I'm stressed the fuck out -and that's why you haven't heard from me;- I can't promise you anything.  
> These are your options.

Staring at her, you blink back the tears.

 

"T-There's nothing wrong, Tori.. just a bad dream. Excuse me, I uh, gotta use the bathroom, I'll be right back," speed walking down the hall, wet salt drops stain your face as you practically slam the bathroom door shut.

If this is gonna work, you better move fast.  
Reaching into your back pocket, you find yourself lacking your blade.  
..why..

You have to leave.  
You _fucking have to._

You can't, you really just _can not_ deal with this.. entire thing that's happening right now.  
Instead, you open the bathroom door slowly and walk down the stairs, trying to pace yourself. Making too much noise will alert her.. and you just couldn't have that.

As you move down the stairs, you finally reach the bottom, and it takes every bit of strength to not sprint down the hallway.  
Instead, you let yourself casually walk the distance, and though it takes a few minutes, you turn the corner. Looking back tentatively, you don't see nor hear her. Continuing on your way, after another good minute you arrive at the first door. You ease it open, painfully slow, and slip through. You close it just as gently, barely making any sound- minus the scrape of the door on the floor, but that wasn't more than a soft shuffle with the care you were giving it.

Turning around, you make your way to the second door, less carefully, and pass an empty patch of grass.  
..seems that Flowey wasn't keen on seeing you off this time.  
No matter.

You didn't bother to shut the second door, as the first was just to dissuade Toriel from thinking you went downstairs.  
She probably would figure it out eventually, yet, right now..?

 _'She has no idea,'_ you think to yourself solemnly, _'not a fucking clue.. and even less in care.'_

Pushing at the third door, you spot the last one, and you speed up a bit.  
Sans would be there.  
He would be able to help you figure out what the _actual fuck_ was going on.

Pushing against the final door, the snow blows in, making you squint your eyes against the flakes.  
You didn't shut the final door, either, and allowed the snow to build up near the doorway as you hesitated.

She didn't come.  
That's what you wanted.

..right?

So why..  
Why did you feel like this..?  
Why does your chest feel like it's constricting; that your heart feels so _hurt?_

Wiping away the tears that were starting to freeze to your cheeks, you continue.  
You force yourself to move, your legs moving sluggishly until you feel a small point of anger build inside of you. It was hot, and filled you with adrenaline. You forced your legs to move faster through the snow, propelling yourself over the stick in the path and towards the distant structure.

As you approach it, you finally let yourself start to relax. Soon, you would be getting the problem solved, and-

...

You.. you were crossing the bridge..  
Sans.. didn't come to greet you..?

Now thoroughly distressed, you peered into the darkness next to the bridge.  
Maybe.. maybe you could..?

Well, what did it matter?  
Nothing you do actually changes anything.. no one would care. Anyone who did, well.. they'd get over it, eventually.

What had you to loose?

"Chara,"  
Looking up, you focused your thoughts on something else.

Or rather, _someone._

_'If I want to even remotely stand a chance, I need to find.. that shiny thing, whatever it was. I need to find Chara.'_

Forcing yourself further, you pass Sans'.. stand?  
Whatever it was, you didn't have time to ponder it. You continue. You pass a box, and a lake, and a.. box? A box.. house? This piqued your curiosity, so you spared enough time to read the sign.

You smiled a bit as you read it.  
Your Papyrus.. was he missing too..?

Quickly making your way back to the path, you made your way on your journey.  
You pass by an array of puzzles.. and go around all of them.  
Cheating? No. You just didn't have time for that; you had inter-dimensional issues to deal with here.

Passing a few dog houses, a very small one catches your attention.  
Unlike Papyrus'.. whatever it was, you only give this one a glance before you make your way around several snow mounds. Yet, as you pass the last one, a dogs head pokes out, startling you and knocking you backwards.

With a yelp, you fall onto your backside, and the dog stands to his full height.  
He's.. wearing armor. At least, you think it's a he. You didn't actually wanna check.  
But, you could test it out?

"U-Um, good boy..?"  
Tilting his head at you, he jumps out of his armor and onto your lap.

 _"Oof!!_ Geez, you're heavier than you look, y'know.."

The little dog only barked and licked your face.  
You get the feeling that something is very wrong with this scenario, though it makes it hard to focus with a small, warm, soft tongue tickling your cheeks.

"O-Okay, heh, okay. Down, down boy," surprisingly, the dog listened.

"Um, you got a name, or..?"

He wasn't wearing a collar, but he yipped anyways and jumped back into his suit.  
Then he proceeded to stare at you, as if waiting for you to do something.

"Uh.. well, okay.. I.. guess I'll be going then."

You turn, and take a few steps, just to hear clanking and shuffling snow behind you.  
Looking over your shoulder, the dog just panted happily. You take another few steps forward.

It followed.

"Okay well this is happening then." Shrugging, you continue.

You had bigger things to do right at this moment, then worrying about a dog following you.  
As you make your way through a bit more of the forest, you're a little surprised that this dog is the only monster you've come across so far.. maybe.. something was happening in town?  
Coming across a bridge, you pass over it with the dog clanking around behind you. You paid him little attention as you approached the town.

There were monsters here, surprisingly.  
Yet.. something wasn't quite right-

Oh, a shiny thing!  
Reaching forward to touch it, the second you feel the warmth in your fingers, you look about yourself.  
You hear them before you see them.

*You really messed up this timeline, you know that, right?

Facing the ghost, your new friend whined in his armor set.  
Chara, however, seemed mostly displeased. They were leaned back, as if reclining on something, with their arms crossed. A frown was sported on their face.

"Where's Sans?"

*Oh, now you want him around? It's a bit late for that, isn't it?

"Wh.. what-"

*Just go look at his house.

Confused, but obedient, you go further into the town.  
Monsters waved if they noticed you, and others continued to do their own thing.

Chara had been correct..  
The house of the skeleton brothers was gone.

Staring in silence, you couldn't process what was happening.

"W.. why..?"

*Interdemensional bullshit. Y'know, the works.  
Turning to Chara, you bit your lip.

"And there's nothing I can do..?"

*Pretty much. This timeline is basically cut off from the others, now. Good job.

Falling onto your knees, and then onto your ass, you sat there in the snow, staring at all the nothing before you.  
You don't move when the dog beside you whines and jumps out of his armor again to lay in your lap.  
You don't blink when the first tear rolls down your face.

"I've heard.. a lot of things about you, Chara.. from a lot of different Sans'.."

*Pfft, yeah? And?

You turn to look at them, slowly, and stare them in the eyes.  
Your gaze is cold and dead. Defeated. It made the ghost child shiver with anticipation.. and a bit of fear.

"Is there a way.. you could help..?"

*..maybe. Depends on what I get in return.

"I'll give you anything.. you can even have my soul."

*Deal.

"Wh-What? Just.. just like that?"  
They nodded.

*Just like that. I'm not a part of the timeline until you _let_ me become part of it.. so I would need your soul to be apart of it. Specifically your soul, because Gaster is using you as his experiment; and I don't want to die using someone else's. Possession is a lot of work, after all.

"Um," looking down, you hesitate, "how do I..?"

*Kill your pal over there.

"Wh-What!? No!!"

*I have to have some ability to relate to you, and since you aren't a determination soul; it's gonna be that much harder for me. So, you need to gain LV.

Glancing at the small dog in your lap, he whimpered and folded back his ears..  
But he didn't leave your side.

"I.. I.. I can't.."

*Then I can't help you.

"Isn't there someone else?"

*I guess you could go after Undyne, but.. I might change my mind by then, hehe~

Picking up the small dog, you put it in a headlock.  
He squirmed in your arms, whining and kicking; he pawed at your arm, trying to make you let go.

"I'm sorry.."

Biting your lip harshly, you squeezed your arm as hard as your could against his throat.  
The small whining sounds were cut off, instead being replaced with gagging noises.

His attempts to get out of your hold increased dramatically; and you had a bit of trouble holding onto him.  
Scratching at your arm furiously, the dog thrashed against you, making you bit your lip harder as you tried to restrain him.

..minutes passing by torturously slow as you're trying to hold this little monster against you..  
Then there was nothing.

Chara, who had been in initial shock, was grinning and cackling.

You won!  
You earned 5g and 120 EXP!

Looking down at your lap, you realized your arm was entirely too.. empty.  
Spotting the dust covering your front, you realized why.

..at least he wasn't in pain now.

*I didn't think you would actually do it!! Hahaha, _wow,_ you really are desperate, aren't you?!

The shock, the pain.. you let everything numb as you stood, casually brush off the remains of your friend.  
Turning to Chara, you glare at them.

"Now keep your promise. Fix this."  
Bringing out your soul, they grinned.

*With pleasure.

The second they touched your soul, you felt..  
Different.

You wanted to say it hurt, but it didn't.  
It was like a immense pressure.. like getting a shot, but for your brain. There was a heavy fog clouding your judgement.. your movements were sluggish and slow.

"C-Chara.. something's.. wrong," looking back up to them, they weren't there any longer.

***Don't fight me, just relax.. this is hard enough without your mind fighting against me.**

You let yourself collapse into the snow.  
It was.. cool, but.. it wasn't as cold as it should have been..?

***I'm taking over, of course you won't be able to feel things anymore. The only thing you'll be able to do, is watch and listen, unless I let you have control.**

You see your world being shifted, but true to their word, you couldn't feel your limbs moving anymore.

"This is nice," they giggled, "to have a body again.. now, who should we kill first?"

_'You said-!'_

"I _said_ that I would help.. and I am. You need determination to do what we're going to do; but we need LV too. So we're going to get some~"

Withdrawing into yourself, you let them do what they pleased.

***Oh? No desire to join me? That's fine~ I didn't make that a requirement, after all, hehe.**

Walking through the town, Chara adjusted rather quickly to your regular movements.

"Not bad.. stronger than Frisk, but not as agile I'd bet. Oh well, time to find out~" Skipping to the Snowdin Shop.

Inside, the clerk looked up, smiling at Chara as they approached.

"See anything you like?"

Chara nodded, seemingly examining the tough glove.  
Trying it on, they smirked as the bunny clerk rung it up.

"That'll be- ACK,"

Thirty six point hit.  


Jumping the counter, Chara proceeded to beat the shop owner to dust.  
In the back of your mind, you watched in horror as this happened.

***Not bad. Could be better. Congrats, you're LV three now.**

It didn't stop there.  
After stealing all the healing items they could fit in their inventory, they went next door and dusted the check in clerk there, too. There was a kid, but.. after a few punches, the pile of dust was all that remained.

Walking up the steps, Chara pushed open the door with three sleeping rabbit monsters.. and dusted them one by one. The first was suffocated, as to not rouse the other two, who were heavy sleepers. The second was dragged onto the floor and beaten to death, while the third had woken up and tried to help.. but when their HP dropped to half, they fled. Chara seemed to think it was funny, because they shoved the monster down the stairs.  
After they went down the stairs themselves, proceeded to stomp on the monster until it dusted.

By this point, you had tuned everything out. The sight of their pain, their screams of agony..  
This isn't what you wanted..

***LV five. If we can get to ten, then it might be enough-**

_'Please! Please stop it!!'_

***Do you want my help or not!?** After a moment of silence, they continued, ***Then shut the fuck up.. geez.** They sighed.

"Tell ya what.. we go after one more monster, one I don't usually get to fight, and we'll be off. Okay?"

_'..fine..'_

"Great~!" Easily brushing out the dust from your clothes, they casually walking out of the Inn.

Chara had locked the doors to both buildings, so that no one could walk in and see the mess.  
They couldn't afford to be discovered quite yet.

Heading to the back of a building, Chara curses quietly when they find that it's deadbolted shut.  
Looking around, they groan as they sit in the snow and wait.  
And wait.

..and _wait._

_'..why have we been sitting here forever?'_

"Because eventually, he's gotta take the trash out, so-"

As if magical words were spoken, the deadbolt clicks loudly, signifying that someone's about to leave the building.  
Faster than you thought was physically possible for your body, Chara jumps into a crouched position, on the ready to attack.

A.. rather charming looking fire elemental opened the door; looking very suave in his bar tending vest and suit.

 ***I think dapper is the word you're looking for,** Chara mentioned to you mentally, sounding bored.

A bit flustered about the fact that you even had a thought like that about anyone, much less in front of a _child_ - ***Hey!** \- you retreat further into your subconscious, having very little registry of events happening in the outside world.

As soon as the monster stepped outside, Chara pounced.  
Aiming for his eyes, Chara dug two fingers into white almond sockets, grinning as a loud scream came from him.

The fire monster, true to his element, let his flames grow about him in self defense.  
Chara growled under your breath, running inside the building and into the kitchen. They opened a few drawers, seemingly in search of- well, a knife, apparently. For as soon as they had it, they went running back to the monster, jumping and slamming the blade into his skull. The fire caught your clothes, and Chara immediately pulled away, rolling in the snow. Looking back over to the fight, Chara cackled.

"A one-shot kill?! Guess the rumors I've heard aren't true, or else he wouldn't be so easy! ..oh hey, you're LV 8 now. Eh, I guess that'll do.. I did make a deal, after all." Walking over and picking up the knife from the still-hot embers, they sprinted back towards Sans and Papyrus' missing home.

***Gaster thought he was clever, removing the time travel machine in Sans' basement.. but he forgot about the one he created himself. Maybe he just didn't think you'd survive long enough? Who knows.. might be that if he deleted too much, the timeline would fall apart.. this is getting more and more interesting.**

_'..how do you know so much?'_

***What, you think I've gone through this many resets and not picked up on basically everything?? I know the entire story like the back of my hand,** running past the empty, snow-filled lot, and your friends dust, they sprint into a heavy mist, ***I am Chara.. but now, I'm so much more. After all, this is _your_ timeline, isn't it? All timelines vary from the original string. Whether big or small, the change is there. Why is Gaster so invested in yours? Because he's _using_ you. He's using you to experiment on others; you're just his tool!** Cackling, they keep sprinting, right on past another stand covered in snow.

_'Why are you telling me this just now? Why not before?'_

***Because you wouldn't _get it_ before. Now that you've been through different timelines -or at least the Anti-Void- you understand the concept.. and I'm sure you've at least picked up bits and pieces from the Sans' that you've talked to about me, yeah?**

Finally slowing down, Chara settles into a slow jog, and then a simple walk.  
You slowly come out from the depths of your concious and stare in awe as Chara takes in the sights for you.

***Pretty, isn't it? This is the Wishing Room.**

_'Pretty? It's amazing!'_

***Hehe, there are a lot of things I could show you.. but! We don't have the time right now~**

Letting it go, you let yourself come back as much as you could.  
Your conscious nudged against Chara's, and you could feel the smugness just oozing off.

After the Wishing Room, Chara went down several twists and turns, all in low light.  
It was almost pitch black, and you couldn't grasp how they could-

***Don't bother. I'm not about to tell _you_ anything.**

..well then, that settled that.

A long, long, winding path later, in which you had the chance to view several different beautiful sights, Chara stopped on a bridge.  
Well, it seemed more like a dock.. but without any water.

***This isn't good.. Undyne should have been here by now. He might have gotten rid of his machine after all..**

_'..well, we can find out when we get there. In the meantime, we're at a dead end.'_

***Oh, this?? No, this is easy, I've done it plenty of times, watch.**

Going up to the edge, you managed to glance past the boards before they jumped into nothing.

 

Your consciousness flat-lined, though Chara seemed pretty relaxed in your head.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Waking up, you feel weird.

 

You try to sit up, or even open your eyes.  
Your body doesn't respond.

_'Perhaps it's sleep paralysis..'_

***Nope! Hehe, it's juuuuust me~**

Your body sat up and stretched as Chara willed it, letting the muscles limber up for the next leg of the journey.  
Apparently you had landed in a dump grounds.. the water went up to your shins as Chara continued their walk.

Bored, you decided to ask a few questions.

_'So, when you said there's always a change.. does that mean you're different than the original Chara as well?'_

***Yup. Just like you're not Frisk.**

_'Who's Frisk?'_

***Frisk is the one who originally fell down; and a lot of different universes involve them.. though, I've noticed a few that have others, like you as the 'fallen one' factor. Though, there have been times where more than one person fell.**

_'If you're stuck here, in this timeline, then how do you know all of this?'_

***Because I know the right people.. specifically, Gaster. Which brings me back to my point: the Gaster you've met isn't the one that belongs to this universe. This Gaster is the original Gaster.. he consumed ours, but didn't like, eat him. Somewhere inside of him, this worlds Gaster still remains.**

Leaving the dump, Chara walked into the next room.  
It appeared to have four different ways to head off to, but that's all the chance you had to look at it, because Chara was already off leading your body to the far right. There was a path that took a sharp left, and after your body had traversed that, a sharp right. The wall of the right turn had a digital sign.

_'Hotlands?'_

***Monsters weren't known for naming things, okay.**

Mentally shrugging, you watched as Chara led your body past another stand, and across a bridge.

"We're here~ and it looks like he didn't take it away!"

Chara approached a large building.  
It was huge, but sure, we'll go with large.

The pristine white against the red, burning stones of Hotlands made the walls glow an deep, darker orange color near the bottom of the walls.  
Chara was about to walk into the doors when they opened, and they walked in.

"Finally, I was starting to fry out there," huffing, they leisurely stroll through the building, stopping when a.. dinosaur-looking monster came out of a nearby door.

***Looks like we're in luck; Gaster didn't delete Alphys, either.**

_'Al-'_

"O-Oh-"  
Cutting both Alphys and you off, Chara interrupts.

"Alphys, we need some help- and if you don't want to die," pulling out the knife from somewhere behind your back -you still couldn't feel your limbs- they flipped in in their hand, before pointing the tip at the monster almost playfully, "You're gonna help us."

Alphys paled considerably.

"U-Uh, wh-what k-kinda help..?"

"Back to the elevator, Alphys, we need to borrow your determination."

Taking a step back, Chara tittered at her reaction.

"Are you going to run? I _dare_ you.. make it _fun_ for me."

Trembling as Chara slowly approached, Alphys wrapped her tail around her feet.

_'..maybe I should try..?'_

***Excuse me?**

_'Your approach is a bit.. violent..'_  
Silent for a moment, Chara mentally scoffed.

***No. It needs to be done this way.**

"Hurry up, we don't have all day," snapping at Alphys, Chara sharply gestured to the room with your head.

Alphys lowered her head, her frame still visibly shaking, and went back into the room.  
When Chara followed, you noticed that it was actually an elevator.

"Take us to the determination extraction machine."  
Pressing a button, the elevator went down.

Just as you were about to reach the bottom, something must have crashed upstairs.  
There was a loud noise, but..

***Don't bother; it was just Mettaton.**

"Lead the way, good doctor~" Edging her along with the tip of their knife, Chara grinned at her.

Alphys quickly made her way out of the elevator, and led them down the hall.  
Going through the halls made you uneasy, much to Chara's endless amusement. The moaning echoing down the halls was downright eerie.  
Yet soon enough, Alphys had brought you both to a machine, that resembled a skull.

"Now bring us all your determination vials, or I will hunt down and slaughter every single _pet_ of yours," Chara spoke to Alphys, examining the machine until turning to look at her sharply, "What are you waiting for?! On the double!!"

Squeaking and stuttering for a second, Chara only had to raise your eyebrow -and their knife- to get Alphys to hurry off.

***Okay, now it's your turn. How do we travel across space and time?**

_'Uh, well, usually only those who can already teleport can do that.. at least, that's how Sans' explained it.'_

***I thought you might be useless.. well, plan b then.**

_'Plan b?'_

***Yeah, it's called shut up and do what I tell you to.**

A shuffling noise, and the repeated squeaking of a wheel later, Alphys had brought all of her determination viles.

"That's it? Didn't I tell you that I would kill your failures if you didn't bring _all_ of them!?"

"I-I-I d-did!! I-I _s-s-swear_ I d-did, please d-don't h-hurt them!!"

"Fine. Where's you're syringe?"

"U-Uh, um, h-here it i-is.."

"Summon my soul."

"W-What?!"  
Quickly pressing the knife to her throat, Chara snarled.

"Do it!!"

"O-Okay! I-I-I'm s-sorry," cautiously taking out your soul from your chest, Alphys held it awkwardly and unsure.

"Have you not figured it out by now? Do I need to _prompt_ you further~?"

"I-It- T-This c-could k-k-kill you th-though-"

"I don't care. Hurry up," pressing the knife further into the skin of her neck, Chara silent demanded that she stop hesitating, "Hell, consider it for your _science_ or whatever bullshit."  
Whimpering quietly, a fear tears ran down her cheeks as she pressed the needle into your soul, slowly injecting the determination.

You world started to fade out, and you could distantly hear Chara groan.

"More!!"

"B-B-But it's empty!"

"Then get _another!!"_

Repeating the process, you suddenly became accurately aware of your surroundings, almost as if you were having an out of body experience.  
Your body was slightly hunched over, with Chara screaming at Alphys to keep the determination pumping. The knife wasn't at Alphys' throat anymore, but the way it was still pointed at her in such close proximity made her choose to do exactly as she was being told.

There weren't that many vials of determination on the table; maybe about fifteen?  
Counting them out, you find that there's only thirteen, but you were close.  
Alphys was injecting the fourth now, at Chara's demand.

You simply watched as this continued for a bit.. there was no clock down here, so you couldn't even tell how long it was taking.  
Upon the ninth injection, Chara looked visibly concerned. Upon the eleventh, they started shouting, repeating your name.

"You better not have lost to the determination!! I don't know how to work this fucking machine!! It's the one thing Gaster refused to tell me! _No!!"_

The entire building shook, and you felt immediate danger.  
Sinking back down to your body, your touched it  
And phased right through.

Trying not to panic, you let yourself relax, and try to focus on your body.  
How the muscles felt when you moved your arms, or how your chest expanded when you filled your lungs with oxygen.

***SERIOUSLY, WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU?!**

_'I-I don't know-'_

***Well, we need to fucking move; Gaster's fucking _furious-_**  
It was then that you remembered.

The String Point.

_'..I think I know a way around the teleportation problem,'_

***Well, hurry up then, what is it?!**

_'Do you know the String Point?'_

***Sort of?? Gaster mentioned it before, but he didn't go into detail-**

_'I know how to get there.. but I don't know how to travel to different universes,_ you hear screaming, and suddenly noticed that Alphys was running further into the lab.. well, stumbling, from the tremors that were starting to shake the building.

***Doesn't matter; with enough determination you can do anything in the Void.. just ask crazy psycho out there.**

_'You made a deal with him though, didn't you?'_

***Yeah, I did; not that I'm going over the details with _you._**

_'Alright, that's fair, I guess..'_

***The String Point! Hurry the fuck up!!**

_'There's one other problem, I don't know if it'll take my body or not- usually it only accepts my soul-'_  
Gathering the last few vials of determination, Chara injected them into your soul themselves, wincing in the process.

***We have thirteen vials of determination coursing through us right now- we're bound to end up _somewhere,_ and it'll force your body physically through the timeline.. don't ask me how, because he didn't want to elaborate at the time!!**

The building was falling apart.. it was starting to get hot.. lava was leaking in through the wall on the far side.  
You needed to focus; it was now or never.

...

Fuck, how did you find it the _last_ time?!

***Look, unless you do something in the next two minutes; we're _both_ dead-**

_'I GET IT SHUT UP,'_ sighing, you focus on the reason you came here.. how many timelines you've infected, just to have a moment of happiness.

Was that worth it..?  
You abruptly remember the creature that raped you and Error.  
It resembled Gaster, but-

***Wh..what the fuck?**

Pulling yourself out of your seclusion, you take in your new surroundings.  
Said creature looked down at you, a strange sort of noise sounding between a purr and a chirp coming from it.

 ***What the fuck it _that,_** brandishing their knife, they feel a tinge of fear.

Upon the change, the creature tilts its 'skull,' and draws back.  
You wonder..

_'I think it can hear us by thought alone.. that's how it was before, at least.'_

Upon thinking this, the creature drew back forward, crooning towards you.  
Chara suddenly yelped and jerked forwards.

***D-Don't touch me, you fucking sicko!**

_'We need to get to another timeline before the lava reaches my body, please, can you help us?'_

Swaying in place for a second, the creature whips its skull to the side, looking at something in the darkness that you couldn't see.

 _'P-Please..? At least help me..! It's my body..'_ sinking into despair at the thought of being left behind again, the creature turned your way.

Instead of backing off, as it had been doing, it surged forward in all its gooey sliminess, and engulfed both you and Chara soundlessly.  
Before you fell further into the inky blackness, you could have thought you heard Chara scream.

 

It was kind of funny, is all.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

You wake up.

 

Realizing something was wrong, it takes a moment for you to remember that Chara was currently controlling your body.

_'Chara, where did we end up..?'_

***I don't know, but it's all sorts of disgusting.. just look.**

Indeed.. taking in the sight that Chara has before you; there is a lot that would say it was revolting.  
Perhaps it was the way that the two ice monsters in front of you were really going at it, but to a kid, that must seem all the more nasty.

_'..I think I might know where we are! Chara, go to town, quick! We gotta find Sans!!'_

***Quick I can do, but once we get there; _you're_ talking to him.. he and I don't get along much.**

_'Fine fine, but quick!_

Taking off in a sprint in the trees next to a familiar path, Chara moves.

***As long as we're on the topic, your speed is okay, but your stamina sucks.**

Mentally, you roll your eyes.

_'Gee, thanks.'_

It doesn't take long at all for you and Chara to reach the town.. much quicker than you've gotten to Snowdin before by yourself, anyways.

***Okay, all yours.**

Feeling feeling return to you, you smile..  
And then immediately double over to throw up.

"Ugh, Chara, what the hell?!"  
You can just _feel_ them mentally shrugging.

***You wanted fast.**

"Don't you know not to press a body past its limits-" More barfing.

***If you don't break the limits, you can't build new ones.**

"Urf.. I guess.."

Taking a minute, you eat some snow to clear the ick out of your mouth and throat, then you move.  
Walking into town, you notice that the monsters are more scantily clad than usual..

Walking all the way through town, you get whistled at a couple times, but you quickly scuttle out of those situations.  
You spot the house.

You finally made it.  
Reaching up and knocking, you get no response.

"But.. where could they be..?"

***Did you try Grillby's? I don't know about the stupid one, but smiley trash bag usually hangs around that dump.**

"Oh.. okay then, to Grillby's."

Walking back the way you came, you only get whistled at once, and it was by someone leaving the place you were about to enter.  
The short walk did nothing to prepare you for what you seen inside.

***Oh my god _my eyes!!_**

The neon lights did nothing to hide the sin.  
There were pole dancers, strippers, cage dancers, and several different pairs of monsters making out with each others.

"Wwwell then," quickly moving out of the doorway, as a few monsters began to stare at you oddly, you move to the bar.

It doesn't occur to you until Chara pokes you subtly.

***Forgetting Mr. Dapper, are we?**

"Mr. Dapper-?"

"Well, that's not what they usually call me, _buuuut_ I'll make an exception for a cutie like you~"  
Turning to face the bar, you see a version of Grillby with blue tipped flames, fish net on his arms, and not enough of a vest to cover his chest.

Your face turns an abrupt cherry red.

"Oho, a virgin, huh," winking at you, he practically purrs, "Don't worry, I can make you feel reaaaally good~"  
You needed someone to help you out.

Like, now.

"I need to find Sans!!"

Staring at you, he chuckles when you blurt out Sans' name.  
Then, nodding his head towards the stage, he grins slyly.

"He just got off, actually. Should've come in a few minutes earlier.. but he usually comes over for a refreshment between shows, so you might be in luck~" Looking away, Grillby noticed that he was being beckoned by another customer, and winked at you before going to tend to them.

_'Oh my god I'm dying.'_

***I think I would actually rather be dead than be here.**

_'You don't mean that.'_

***Wanna bet that I d-**

"Well, hello there, beautiful~ I heard you were asking for me?"  
Turning your head, you look over and nearly start crying.

His purple vest, with faux blue fur.. his black skinny jeans..

"L-Lust..?"  
His face dropped the sexual look as you asked him his Anti-Void name.

"Woah, okay, uh, we need to go. C'mon,"

"So the show you had planned later is off then~?"  
Turning to face Grillby, who was leaning onto the counter slyly, Sans grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah, uh, gotta do a thing. I'll do a midnight show or something," ushering you out the door, he took you by the wrist and practically pulled you towards his home.

 ***What the fuck is this guys problem?! If he hurts your body, I'm gonna break his hand! I need a decent body to possess, you know!!** fuming inside your mind, Chara is glaring holes at Sans through your eyes.

_'Relax, Chara, I've known him.. for a long time,'_

***A month and a half is not a long time.**

So the Anti-Void time was similar to time in your timeline.. interesting.

_'No, but, we know each other really well, okay?'_

***Yeah, I can feel what remains of a bond.. at least, it's nothing I've ever experienced myself, but it fits the criteria of what Gaster told me.**

_'You're really close with Gaster, huh?'_

***Yeah, well.. when you don't exist otherwise, any company is better than none.**

"Mm.."

"You say something?"

"Uh? N-No, sorry.."

Pulling you up to his home, Lust opened the door and pulled you in, closing it quickly.  
Turning to you, he looked you dead in the eyes, as if searching for an answer.

"Okay, first things first- how do you know the Anti-Void? You're just a human."

Shock.

And then a _whole lot of pain._

"O..oh.. um, well, you see," after you voice broke, and paused, and gave a watery laugh, "I actually have business there, and you're my last hope to get there.. I really have to talk to Ink about my timeline falling apart."  
Staring at you for several seconds, Lust nodded.

"Okay. I can help.. but make no mistake-" his sockets went dark, body rigid and entirely threatening and not _at all_ what you remembered, "Try to hurt any of them, and I will end you on the spot."  
You simply nodded, trying to hold back tears.

"Of course."  
Studying you once more, Lust sighed.

"Geez, I can't stand to see a pretty girl crying.. hang on," disappearing from existence for a moment, he returned shortly with a box of tissues, "Here, blow your nose, dry your eyes.. I'm sure Ink can help you with your timeline, okay?"  
Nodding, you don't trust your voice not to betray you, so you simply do what he says before you throw them away.

"Y'know, my brother would offer hand sanitizer, but me? I'm not scared of germs," holding out his hand, he winks, "Ready?"  
You nod again, and take his hand.

Right before he whisks you away, you hear Chara in the back of your mind.

 

***That was bullshit and you know it.**

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Arriving back at the Mansion, you feel nostalgic.

 

Lust had dropped you off in one of the debate rooms, you guess.  
You didn't see many of these rooms around the house, but they spoke, and demanded respect while on the inside of the four walls. When you nudged Chara, they made a displeased notion in your head, and you could tell that they were taking in their new environments.

You were waiting patiently when you heard them return.

"Yeah, a human. I know it's weird, but they came into my timeline and were asking for you specifically, so-" Lust opened the door, and the second Ink set his sockets on you, he rushed forward.

"Geez, where the heck were you?! Don't you know how worried everyone was!! Even Classic was convinced that one of the meaner Sans got you!! Oh man, and I've been grilling Error over this," hugging you close, Ink suddenly pulled you back by the shoulders, "Seriously, are you okay? You look different, you-"

He froze.  
Taking two steps away from you, he looked at you in disgust.

"What have you done..?"  
Upon seeing Ink's reaction, Lust checked you.

His sockets went dark again.

"Sorry, Ink, I'll get her outta here.. I should've checked her first, but-"

"No, she needs to stay- this is the only place Gaster can't.." turning to you again, Ink seemed to have a thought, and he watched you suspiciously, "Did Gaster make you do this?"  
You shake your head.

"It.. it's a lot more complicated than that.."  
Ink sighed, and rubbed a hand down his face.

"Lust, go get Classic and Error; we're gonna need a meeting to find out what we're going to do with her.."  
With a quick nod, Lust disappeared.

***..what are you going to tell them? You know they're going to ask about how you got so much LV.**

_'The truth.'_

***Keep in mind that Sans hates me. A room full of them?? They'll probably kill you, knowing that I'm with you.**  
Smiling to yourself, just a tiny bit, you respond.

_'You don't know them like I do.'_

***Yeah? Well you don't know them like _I_ do, so don't act all high and mighty!**

_'Chara. Please, be quiet. Listen. Observe. You might learn a thing or two.'_  
There was a sharp pain in your head, which you gave a small cry as you cradled the spot tenderly.

Ink watched you suspiciously, and you just rubbed away the pain with a couple fingers.

..finally, what seemed like forever later, Lust returned with Classic and Error, the latter of which blew a fuse upon seeing you.

"W-Where the act-t-tual fuck have you be-e-en?!"

"Calm down, Error, I'm sure they have.. oh stars, kiddo.. why..?"  
Looking down, you didn't need to guess to know they checked you.

You could feel your sins.. they needed to escape through your blood- you needed a blade, _needed something sharp to make up for-_

Another sharp pain, and after a yelp, you were back to soothing the side of your head again.

"Kid?"  
A hand pressed to your shoulder, and you looked up.

Glancing at his hand, you move away.

"I.. I killed this cute little dog, Classic.. it followed me around.. and was so friendly. It- it even had it's own suit of armor, and-"

"You killed Greater Dog?"  
Three of four Sans watched you in an array of horror and disgust.

The fourth just looked grumpy.

"I- I don't know, okay? It was the only way to leave the timeline! You weren't there! My Sans- my Papyrus, their _entire house_ was _gone!"_  
Classic watched you carefully.

"..what do you mean, 'gone'?

"Like, you.. I.. fuck, I don't have the knowledge to explain this! Chara told me-"  
The room's atmosphere immediately got several layers heavier.

**"W H A T?"**

"I.. I'm not backing down! Because.. your time machine they told me about, that you supposedly have in your house somewhere.. that.. it was gone too.. so.. I had to get determination from Alphys, but Chara said I might die if I didn't have more LV.."

"So you killed monsters, on some whim of a demon?"  
None of their sockets held any light.

"If you wanna kill me, fine. Abandon me. Leave me. But I did what I had to, to leave that timeline.. where everything was decaying," you were trying. You were trying to stand up for Chara, but it was.. it was so hard.. you just wanted to _die,_ but you just keep _hurting people instead-_

You couldn't feel your hands, they were so tightly fisted.  
..when did you fist your hands..?

Actually..  
You couldn't feel _a lot_ of you right now.

"Well, kid-"

"Shut the fuck up," that wasn't your voice.. well, technically it was, but- "You too."  
Oh. Well then.

"You blaming her, because of things she didn't even do?? Hehe; you really _are_ an idiot.. aren't you, smiley trash bag~?" Pulling out their knife, their wasn't enough time to process the reaction of the four Sans'.

Ink swiftly darted forward and nailed you with his brush twice, then snapped his fingers; binding your body in artistic chains.  
Lust blue'd your soul, and slammed your body to the floor.  
Classic brought out a couple of huge goat things, that reminded you of the determination extraction machine.

Error just stood there, watching everyone else do their thing.

"You can't even protect her.. at least the determination I got will keep her soul from Falling. I mean, you're all useless sacks of shit, but," peering up, Lust came into your view, "You. You don't even remember that you had a bond with her. However weak it was. When you broke it, how did you feel? Were you happy to watch her agony? The pain that split her soul?"

The room fell silent.  
Lust looked around at the others.

"Um? What? They.. they're lying, right? Guys..?"  
Classic continued to stare darkly at you, and Ink fidgited his fingers.

Error was the one who spoke up.

"You-u were always hanging-g around her-r-r," he shrugged, "Heard you had to go in her s-soul once.. you did have a bond-d- something about magical backl-l-lash to her soul when you h-healed it."  
Lust looked at you in horror.

"That was befor-r-re she killed, though."  
Lust vanished.

_'He must be disgusted.. he finally realized what a piece of trash I am. Heh..'_

"Oh my god, I'm stuck sharing the same body with a suicidal, sad sack of shit," Chara groaned.

Classic and Ink exchanged expressions, then grinned at each other.  
Error stared at them angrily, because he wasn't catching onto something again and they liked to leave him out of the loop.

"We'll be back in a few," Classic grinned down at Chara with hooded sockets, dispelling his goat skulls, "Gotta do a vote- oh, and I'm taking that with me."  
Using magic, Classic caught the knife in his hand, then disappeared, the other two right behind him.

_'Run. Take the opportunity, get away-'_

***And go _where!?_ The _entire place_ is filled with those idiots, and I'm not welcome!! Which means you're not welcome!!**

_'I don't know, we just gotta move, we can't stay, we can't-'_

***Oh my god, what have I gotten into,** sighing, they glare at the floor, ***Just, geez, you're supposed to be 'older' than me, act like it! Besides, your anxiety is about to give _me_ anxiety..**

Panicking in the back of your mind, you quietly wish that you had been burned alive by lava.  
That would be a fitting death, for all the pain you've caused.. it would serve you right to die a _thousand times over,_ killing Greater Dog.. he didn't.. didn't _deserve-_

***Geez, calm down, they come back!! Most of them forget what you did anyways, you just gotta reset!!**

_'Noooo, no no no nonononono-'_  
Chara tried to push you back further into unconsciousness, yet your fear and anxiety grew, and your need for a blade, for something pointy and painful was driving you up the wall.

It had been too long.. you needed it.  
Youneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededityouneededit _youneededit-!!_

"Uh, you okay there..?"

You didn't realize when Chara had given you back control.  
Yet between rolling around in your binds, and shaking with a mix of fear and anxiety, you must have looked like a damn fool.

Though.. could you be blamed?  
They probably didn't want anything to do with a killer like you, all those threats they had given you if you fucked up-

***Oh my god, focus!!**

"F..fine. M'. Fine."

"Yeaaah.. real convincing," Classic sounded dryly sarcastic, and motioned in someone just out of your line of sight.

"C'mon in, pal. Bara wasn't available, and I know you're new, but you can handle someone with a **level of violence,** right?"  
You just knew he was glaring at you. You knew it. Curling up in a ball, you deserved it.

"U-Uh, yeah, pal.. but, I got kids, y'see-"

"Don't worry; in comparison to the Anti-Void; your timeline is practically stopped. Ink checked for the best candidates based on ability.. and knowing his soft-heartedness, availability. But hey, up to you. Kid's right there if you wanna talk to them, though."

Upon your mentioning, you flinched, writhing around in the surprisingly-adaptable chains.  
..though, honestly, you were just really fucking tired, and you kinda just flopped over like a fish-

..and then you felt yourself being eased up; resting on this strangers lap as he looks at you, from your perspective, upside-down.

"Uh, hey, kiddo.. you can call me Ruben. Or dad, sometimes people call me dad,"  
Well _that_ got an immediate reaction.

Slowly, you turn to glare up at him.

"If you are _a n y t h i n g_ like my father.. I'll let Chara kill you."  
Ruben sweats, looking at Classic, who only shrugged.

"She'll throw out a threat every once in a while. Usually only when she's cornered, but.. never heard one like that," turning his attention to you, he walked over and peered down at you in your line of sight, "Whazzamatter, kid? Your pop a crazy scientist too?"

"It is _none_ of your _business._ "

"E-Easy, I'm just gonna be lookin' after you for a day or so, until Bara gets back from.. wherever, okay?"

"I don't need anyone looking after me- I'm old enough-!"

"Old enough to murder monsters because a _royally dead kid_ told you to?"  
Chara piped up at that.

***He's making jokes at my-?? Does that fucker wanna go?! I'll-**

_'Enough!! I am stressed out enough with my _own_ shit; don't be adding yours to the pot!!_  
Chara silenced.

"..whatever. It doesn't matter anyways," becoming a limp noodle in his arms, you stare up at him blankly, "Do what you want, I guess."  
Turning to Ruben, Classic sighed.

"Good luck, pal."

Looking down at you, Ruben gently picks you up, cautiously bringing you closer to his frame as he turned to Classic.

"So uh, what room again?"

"Don't worry. Ink," literally appearing out of no where- he might have been in the hall- Ink arrived at Classic's side, "Take 'em to a better room, yeah?"  
Nodding, Ink offers a hand to Ruben, who takes it in return; and the three of you disappear from sight.

Classic sighs.

 

"Well.. time to figure out how to fix a deletion that Gaster created.."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome Chara! They'll be your head-mate for a while.  
> Also, Lust is back, yaaaay!!
> 
> Isn't everyone _happy_ that our dear friend joined us~?  
>  Props to the people who guessed which universe blob-Gaster-creature belonged to.


	22. Recluse.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back.  
> Things are getting better.
> 
> Making new friends.  
> Losing old ones.

Walking down the halls, Blue was very obviously not _nearly_ satisfied with the treatment that you had received.

 

Upon hearing of your arrival back to the Mansion, he had heard that you had gained a Level of Violence.  
His brother had been less than pleased with this information, but didn't tell Blue to stay away from you. Probably because the moment when he had been about to try, Blue looked at Stretch sharply, as if making a pointed claim. He wouldn't disappoint Cotton again; not this time.

..no.

In fact, even if Classic told him specifically that Blue was not to interfere with Cotton and Leather's choice to stay out the debate of your fate.. he knew a few others who he could convince otherwise.  
Razz would do nicely. If he didn't want to cooperate..?

Blue smirked to himself.

 

He had his _own_ ways around their convoluted system.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Being teleported while being in someone else's arms is very.. strange.

 

Nevertheless, you all arrive safely.. even if Ink is trying to cast some weird spell on you.  
Oh wait.

His paint is coming out of your clothes.  
That's.. really awesome of him, actually??

"Keep an eye on her. She's known to run, if she's got half the chance."

"Uh, okay?"  
With a sympathetic smile and a wave, Ink disappeared.

Setting you down on your own two feet, you turned to finally take in his appearance.

He looked to be middle-aged.. so a dad; not to mention Bara was like.. a slightly bigger, blue version of this guy.  
And honestly? He looked like he walked out of a 1920's magazine; like some sort of rejected mafia-

..oh no.

"Skeleton mafia," looking up to the ceiling you shouted, much to Ruben's confusion, "I was joking when I said that you know!!"  
Walking over to the door, you barely twist the knob before you're pulled back, the larger, heavy weight skeleton putting himself between you and the door.

"Uuuuh, no," he gently nudges you back in the other direction, locking the door with a key and placing it in his shirt pocket, "I promised to look after you for a bit in exchange for an assisted vacation.. it'd be rude of me to not hold my end of the bargain."

After being nudged towards one of the doors inside the room; it turned out that there was a room inside the room.

"Here, I guess. I would let you have the bigger room, but.. yeah."

After making sure you were in the room, he shut the door, but not before he added one more thing.

"Hey, uh, if you need me.. I'll be.. I'll be right out here."  
You blink at him, and turn away.

After a few moments, you hear the click of the door.

***Well, that went better than expected.**

"And pray tell, what did you expect?"

***Death. A lot of blood, too.**

Shaking your head, you don't respond.  
Instead, you look for a way out.

There's a laundry shoot, but they have a lock on the handle to the frame.  
There isn't any window, and no vents either.. nor do you have your own bathroom to see if that would actually be an option.

"Well fuck."

Creeping over to the door, you peek through the keyhole.  
You can't spot Ruben from the limited view, but you're guessing that he didn't just _leave-_  
Opening the door just a crack, you peek out, trying to locate the skeleton that you _shouldn't have trouble finding,_ but whatever.

There's a king size bed against the wall opposite of you.  
A coffee table is surrounded by four large, plush, floral chairs at the same wall your door was located; just to the left. Past that was another door, you would guess the bathroom. Tentatively stepping out, you seen the large skull behind the chair that faced away from your room a bit too late.

"Goin' somewhere?" Closing the newspaper he was holding, he flipped the page and opened it again.  
You had been about to respond when your stomach did it for you.

Ruben immediately looked over at you, concern written on his face; and you, being you, dove back into your room.  
Fuck that entire situation.

All of it.

Leaning against the door, you lock it just in time to hear a gentle rapping come from just below your head.

"Kid, if you're hungry, we can go get some grub.. whaddya say?"

"N-No, thank you.. my stomach is just, upset, okay,"  
***I don't know whether to call you out on your obvious bullshit, or to try and help you to lie better.**

"Shut it, Chara.."  
A moment of silence, before Ruben speaks up.

"Chara, huh?"  
Cringing -you thought you growled it to them quietly enough- you answer.

"Yeah, they're like.. the part of me that wants to kill others."

***That's not wrong. It's not true, entirely, but it's not wrong.**

"Well, Chara, ya wanna help me get the kid somethin' to eat?"

_'Don't you do it.'_

***..does it involve chocolate?**

"They said no."

 ***Oh, is that how we're playing then~?**  
Going numb, you knew what was about to happen.

Trying to fight it, you bump against the wall closest to you, sliding down it as you hold your head.  
You fight against Chara quite fiercely for the dominance of your mind..  
Least to say, as you stand back up, that you lost the fight.

"Y-You okay in there, kid..?"

Watching as your hand undoes the lock, you can see Chara open the door.  
Ruben still stands there, sweating a bit. He really was too nervous.

"I would actually be happy to- _especially_ if it involves chocolate~"  
Ruben gives a toothy grin, before gently putting a hand behind you, probably your shoulders, if memory serves, and leads your body out.

Growling to yourself internally, you go into the deeper recesses of you mind.  
Let Chara have fun. What did it matter anymore anyways..  
Letting yourself fade away as much as you possibly can, you blocked out the rest of the world while Chara and Ruben had their fun.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been a few days before Chara literally dragged you out of the sluggish, dreary part of your psyche.  
They were less than pleased.

Apparently they had been threatened by multiple different Sans', all of ones which, apparently, knew the difference between you and Chara immediately.

***It's like they knew, even when I acted all shy and pathetic, like you. Ugh, just stop sulking so I can have a rest already!!**

_'Oh no, by all means. Have some fun, get some chocolate. Make friends with everyone and never take_ my _advice,'_ you thought back with much snark.  
They didn't say anything else, but you could feel anger just _radiating_ off of them.

Then suddenly, you were stumbling, trying to regain your balance.  
Or, rather, trying to pick your entire face off of the floor as you just slammed into it.

"Uh.. you okay, kid?"  
Looking up at Ruben, you frowned.

In turn, he awkwardly looked away, trying to return his attention back to the book he was reading.  
He started sweating the longer you stared at him, and you, knowing it wouldn't work, finally got yourself up and went towards the door. Within moments you felt a hand on your shoulder, and turned to look bitterly upon the large skeleton that tried to stop you.

"Y'know I can't let ya do that, kid," Ruben hesitated, "I really think you're swell, I do. But maybe we could behave a bit more? We'd really get along great, if ya just gave me a chance."

"I'd only get you killed, fool.. just like Bara."  
That seemed to peak Chara's interest, and seemed to bring Ruben some nervousness.

"Uh-"  
"Don't ask," you interrupted, rubbing your face, "I'm just.. tired. God, I'm so tired of this. I just wanted to die, and yet.. heh. Instead I've fucked up so many lives.."

You could feel yourself being lifted, but you didn't fight back.  
Why bother? It didn't matter what you did or didn't do. He'd probably just get killed, like Bara.  
..like Lust.

Lust was still dead to you.. you'd never get _your_ Lust back.

"A'right, kid," Ruben sighed, settling himself into his chair, "Let's talk for a bit, yeah?"

"Talk to Chara. I have no interest in conversation," looking away from him, you add, "With anyone."  
As a thumb brushed the side side of your face, you didn't even notice the couple of tears you had started shedding.

Slapping his larger hand away, you immediately start struggling against his hold.  
In turn, he just sort of.. swaddles you against him; like a fussy child. Not like it's terribly hard for him to do, his arms are huge.

"Y'know, it's actually kinda cute. I mean, I'm insulted you think you can lie to me, but ya just.. kinda suck at it, kid. Ya don't trust me, that's fine. We don't know each other very well. Who do you wanna talk to?"

"..nobody.."

***Who is the Papyrus you keep thinking of? I haven't.. wait, no.. is that-**

"Chara, I will find a way to off myself in the most _painful way_ if you don't _shut_ the. _Fuck. Up._ "  
Silence.

Thank god.

"Uhh.. should.. should I get Classic..?"  
Waving your hand, you sighed.

"Do whatever you want. I don't care anymore."

Hugging you closer, he stood before he set you in his spot.  
The chair was huge; you could curl up on the seat cushion comfortably. Though, Ruben had propped you against the armrest before heading to the door, glancing at you, before peeking outside.

_'He acts like I'll disappear if he looks away..'_

***From what I've heard, you can do that, sooo..**

_'Not really-'_  
You weren't able to finish that thought before a Papyrus appeared in front of your face.  
..well, more like his jeans appeared in front of your face.

You had time to catch his eye with your own gaze before you heard a startled gasp from the door.  
Then Papyrus picked you up and you were gone.

_'I think this is Slim.. Lust told me about him..'_

***Slim? You have _got_ to be joking-**

_'Just wait for it. I've found waiting forces things to explain itself..'_  
Feeling a mental shrug from Chara's end, you turned your attention back to the new environment at hand.

You were in Slim's arms, and he was walking around the attic's halls.  
Why were you up here..? You weren't allowed, right..?

Then you were carried through a doorway, and you seen them.  
The first ones to ever cause any trouble.

Razz stood, leaning against a dusty, old dresser, glaring at Edge.  
Edge was standing with his arms crossed on the other half of the room, grumbling about something as if they had just ended an argument of some kind. Red wasn't there, still, unsurprisingly. He was still banned or something along with Sci, right..? Another color besides red and black caught your eye.

All white.  
..well, with some blue.

Geno.  
And Blue. They were quietly talking near the back wall. Blue wore this look.. you had never seen on a face of a Papyrus equivalent before.

It was like.. a sharp, calculated look.  
As if a Sans' wit were planning something with Papyrus' enthusiasm. Was.. Were _all_ Papyrus' able to..?  
Well.. you _have_ seen a few different Papyrus' versions in various plotting stages..

Perhaps they're actually better at hiding things than Sans'..?  
How mysterious.

A chill of fear was short lived, yet you still felt it leak through Chara's side of your head.

_'What? Scared of the cinnamon roll?'_

***What??**  
The abrupt and utter confusion from Chara caused you to laugh quietly..

..gaining everyone's attention.

"..sorry. Confused Chara. It was funny."  
The other's shared some looks before Blue bounced over cheerfully.  
As if he weren't just plotting a few moments before.

"HUMAN!! HELLO!! HOW ARE YOU FEELING??" Offering his arms out, you thought you were going to be hugged, but instead Slim just dropped you into his arms instead.

A small squeak ripped itself from your throat after the undignified three-foot drop.  
Slim sauntered towards the farthest corner to light a cigarette and observe while Razz nodded to Blue and disappeared into a portal.  
Before the portal closed, a gust of cold air hit you, and you had a good idea of where Razz just left to.

"Here's the deal, human," Blue's voice was much more serious as he set you down on a dust-laden chair, "Geno can watch you, observe you. He's allowed to test your soul. He's trying-"

"blue, shut-"  
Blue didn't give him a chance to finish as the blue orbs disappeared from his sockets; leaving nothing but black holes and a petrifying grin as he stared down Geno.

"As I was saying~ He may test you, but it's okay! Because he won't be doing the same type of testing that Sci had been doing, okay? He's only curious about whether all humans are equally evil, so I'm allowing him to test your soul and compare it to when Chara may be in control!"

A small tsk came from Geno, obviously disapproving of you knowing what he was in it for.

"In return, Geno is able to.. convince others, of things that you might like. A bit of space, perhaps. And also.."  
Blue has some excellent dramatic timing.

As he turned, the portal opened again, and Razz returned with Fresh..  
..and Cotton.

"C.. Cotton..?"

As soon as you spoke his name, his blue orbs found your frame.  
He was on you instantly, clinging like a lost child.

"H-HUMAN..! I-I DIDN'T..! I'M SO S-S- _SORRY!!_ "  
Immediately hugging him, you held him close.

He had been your rock when you needed him.  
Now though, as he broke down in your arms, it seemed the favor was about to be returned.

"Hey, uh, so..sorry about the whole, like.. betrayal thing, dawg. Wasn't my intentions. I was a lil' whack, and that's my bad, yo."  
Standing, you held Cotton and worked your way over to Fresh, bouncing Cotton on your hip to ease his sobbing.

Then you backhanded Fresh so hard, that it felt like a few of your bones just broke.  
After the sharp crack rang throughout the room, you dragged him into a hug.

"The slap was for causing this.. _mess,_ " you pushed him away by the shoulder, "And the hug is for helping fix it."

Fresh stared at you for a moment, then slowly raised a hand to his face.

You smirked with a bit of amusement.  
"Late reaction much?"

"HUMAN, WHILE I UNDERSTAND YOUR REASONING, I HAVE TO ASK THAT YOU DON'T HIT ANYONE ANYMORE." Blue sighed and placed his fists on his hips.  
Looks like his normal demeanor was back.

"Actually, hold on," walking towards Geno -who you could practically see getting ready some sort of magical attack, you bent down on one knee and looked up at him, "I have a request for you."  
Geno looked at you skeptically

"..depends on what it is."

"Help me talk to Pink. Lust is gone, but.. I have a theory that I can't really explain."  
Cotton had finally hushed, his whimpering had petered off a few moments ago, seemingly trying to focus on the situation.

After a while of silence throughout the room -it was no secret to anyone there that Geno hated humans; the others were surprised you dared to approach him- he nodded.

"i can do that."  
You sighed in relief.

"in return," of course there's a catch, "testing starts _now._ "  
You didn't even hesitate.

"Deal."

"good. fresh, go clear the basement. razz, slim, edge, get the equipment. blue will make sure no one comes around while it's in use."  
As they parted, you raised an eyebrow at him.

"And what will you be doing?"

"i'm going to be testing you, obviously. cotton will stay with blue during the testing-"

"LIKE **H E L L** I AM."  
Cotton clung to you tightly, trembling.

..something told you it wasn't fear that caused his shivering.

"look-"

"I AM _NOT_ BEING TORN FROM HER SIDE AGAIN!!"

"and i don't want to repeat entire tests again, because your physical presence could alter any emotional results! i'm not stupid! 'good' people are affected by other-"

"I KNEW IT."  
Everyone froze.

"what?"

"YOU KNOW SHE'S GOOD. YOU JUST HATE HUMANS SO MUCH THAT YOU WON'T LEAVE HER ALONE."  
Cotton and Geno seemed to be in an endless staring contest of tension.

From the corner of your eye, you caught Blue grinning an impish little grin before he cleared his throat.  
He might have noticed you watching.

"COTTON WILL BE ALLOWED, GENO. HE CAN'T STAY, BUT HE WILL BE ALLOWED TO CHECK IN ON HER TO MAKE SURE YOU AREN'T PUSHING HER TOO FAR."

"tsk, fine. but no more than three minutes at a time. and he's not allowed to say anything. she's not allowed to know when he's there or not."  
Blue turned to look at Cotton, placing a hand on your shoulder.

"IS THIS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU TWO?"

You waited for Cotton, but he remained silent, so you nodded.  
It wasn't until you nodded that he responded.

"YES. BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE.."

"before you threaten me-"

"IF YOU HURT HER, I WILL BRING A **R I G H T E O U S** END TO YOUR LIFE." He wasn't smiling.  
Not even remotely. The snarl that Cotton wore.. made you wonder if Leather might have rubbed off on him a bit. Sockets black, and face darkened. Wings raised threateningly and feathers ruffled.  
It wasn't like him. You didn't like it.

"Cotton.. I've killed. I've gained LV. I can handle a little pain. It's what I've earned."  
Cotton glanced to you, then down to the middle of your chest.

"..YOU DON'T SEE IT, DO YOU HUMAN?" Cotton looked to Blue, and they shared a look.  
You glanced at Geno with raised brows, but he shrugged.

Looks like he was just as lost as you.

"come on. we don't have forever. let's get started. cotton, hang with blue for now. let me get my experiments running before you come check on her."  
Cotton gave Geno a sharp glare before nuzzling his face against yours a moment.

Only then did he let go, and went with Blue without looking back.

Geno opened a portal and gestured to it.

 

Taking a steadying breath, you go through.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The basement was surprisingly clean for everything that's happened down here.

 

Glancing around, you noticed that Slim was working on a computer.  
Seems like he was trying to get a monitor working, wires and screws scattered across the table.

Edge was holding something up while Razz welded it in place.

Geno led you to a familiar chair.

"Do I at least get a puke bucket? Or do you want black ooze all over?"

"we aren't testing like that." Despite what he just said, Geno sat you in the chair and pulled out your soul, pressing a suction monitor to the front and back of your soul; dead center.

It's been.. quite some time since you've seen your soul.

The colors were gone.  
The grey had taken over. It looked like it was on the verge of dusting, with only a hint of red coming from the two major cracks- but you already knew about those.  
It honestly looked like it was a rotten slab of meat that had bled out.

 ***Wow. Such a nice description.**  
Ignoring them, you look a bit closer at the cracks from the pieces that had fallen before Gaster restored you had become hair-line thin.

Well, that was until Geno abruptly placed a blindfold on you.  
"H-Hey??"

"can't have you knowing when cotton comes in."  
You gave an irritated sigh, but said nothing.

"you ready? good. commencing.."

 

Your world faded to black.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Waking, you stood shakily in an all-white environment.

 

 _'Where..?'_  
Looking around, it's all white. Nothing but white, up down.  
Everywhere.

 _'Chara? Hey?'_  
Chara didn't respond.

Then suddenly..  
An encounter.

You were thrown into battle.  
Everything became black.

Looking up over some action buttons -which you noted said 'Fight, Act, Item, and Mercy,'- was.. someone you hadn't met yet.  
They were as tall as Papyrus, and had long hair.

Suddenly, spears.  
You had a spear in hand, but the ones hurdled at you were fast.  
Faster than you could dodge.

..why wouldn't your body allow you to move?  
After the first spear struck you -which no lie, hurt like a bitch; it burned and fizzled until the magic dissipated- you weren't able to bring up the spear that you hand in your hand in time to block the second. This led to you dropping to your knees and getting struck by the third as well.

Looking up, you could see your own stats.  
1/8 HP  
That.. that was probably bad..

It must be your turn, because after a few minutes, nothing happened.  
Not like you could escape, so..  
You check the Mercy button. You could give them mercy, or run.  
You gave them mercy.

The next spear came at you from your left, and you were able to block it.  
And the right. The right. The two in front.

It was your turn.

You pressed Item.  
You weren't surprised to see that you had nothing.

Backing out, you pressed Act.  
You could Check them, talk, or offer your soul.

A bit curious for once.. you check them.

*Undyne  
The simulation is faster than the normal fight.

Making a confused sound, you barely have time to block your way through the third round.  
Well, the two behind you nearly got you killed. You were so distracted by those ones, that you didn't even know the last one was coming until it circled around you and hit the spear you held just as you were about to put it down.  
You briefly wondered why it had been yellow.

Going back to Act, you offer your soul.

Their turn doesn't start.

Undyne seems to take a step back, confusion filling their face as they look at your soul..

The fight stops.  
It's white everywhere.

Undyne is still there, staring at you.  
Your soul is safely tucked away in your chest, with its one HP.

"Did you mean it?"  
Looking up in confusion, you take your attention from your chest to the monster standing apart from you.

"You.. you just offered your soul. Do you know what that's worth? The entire Underground depends on it. Ignoring the fact of what it means to offer your soul to a monster.." Undyne turned a bit red, which was curious since they looked like a blue fish person.

On the other hand, it was cute how their blush matched their hair.

"Your blush matches your hair. It's cute," Undyne stared at you in shock, seemingly ready to fight again when you continued, "I meant it, yeah. But, a question, if you will?"

"Uh.. sure..? I guess??" Clearing their throat, they visibly try to calm down, "What's your question?"

"What's the difference between offering your soul to the entirety of the Underground, verses one monster? As I've come to understand.. well, I mean, I've heard of bonds and stuff, but.. at the same time, isn't giving a monster a human soul.. well. They can just absorb it, yes? They can become more powerful?"  
The color came back to Undyne's face.

"W-WELL!! YEAH!! BUT??"  
Sighing, they took a moment.

"It's like, uh.. geez, when you offer your soul, it's really.. intimate. But like, at the same time, it depends on your intention- if you're just.. doing it to help the monster become stronger..? I've uh, never considered that before, but.. I guess it's not impossible..? In that case, I guess.. it's kinda selfish? Because the entire Underground could use that soul."

"But what if you get to the surface and it happens? When you guys don't need souls anymore?"

"Oh.. well, I.. I don't know." Undyne burst out into laughter.

"Look, I'm not the physiological, deep-thinker type. You wanna talk hypothesis and stuff, you should talk to Alphys!! Fuhuhu!!" Becoming serious again, they look at you with the one eye you could see.

"But.. even then, it still sounds selfish. Monsters are.. kind. We don't look for power. If you're offering your soul to a monster.. I bet you that they would rather have you in their life.. your personality, rather than just your soul."

Going silent, you thought this over.

Then you noticed something being moved over your head, and opened your eyes to look up and seeing Undyne patting your head.

 

"You don't seem like a bad human.. but, hey- don't go offering your soul to every monster you see. Seriously. Don't do it."

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Blinking your eyes a few times, you notice you're back in the basement again.

 

What.  
Why.. who had..?

Looking at Geno, he was studying the monitor.  
You were already freed from the suction monitors, and your soul wasn't in sight.  
Probably already back inside your chest.

Cotton sat in your lap patiently, looking up at you with a concerned gaze.

"Who's Undyne?"  
..admittedly, that's not what you wanted to ask, but that was the question that was bothering you the most.

Geno didn't look up like Edge and Razz did. Slim didn't look like he could care less, and Fresh and Blue weren't even there.

Cotton didn't respond either.

"IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN FOR ME.. PERHAPS.. WE COULD FIND PAPYRUS?"  
You turned to look at Geno.

"And Pink?"  
Geno grunted.

"go find papyrus first, i've got some results to look over."  
Sighing, you nod to Cotton.

"Let's go find Papyrus, then."

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

It wasn't hard to find Papyrus, per say..

It was _hella difficult_ to sneak around without any Sans' spotting you, however.  
Flower seemed unperturbed by your presence.

You had literally bumped into him, and thought it was Red before you remembered the first time you met Flower.

"O-Oh.. hi."  
Glancing at your chest, he made a face before he sighed.

"so it's true. well, i've heard you didn't have a choice.. so we'll see what happens."  
Your shoulders slump a bit as he turned away.

Everyone you used to get along with was giving you a cold shoulder lately..  
Yeah, you deserved it, but it still hurt.

Cotton stomped forward in front of Flower, causing the other to pause and raise his hands- along with his non-existent brows.

"WE NEED SOME HELP," Cotton stage-whispered, "TO FIND PAPYRUS WITHOUT BEING SEEN. DO YOU KNOW WHERE HE IS??"  
Going quiet for a minute, Flower nodded.

"yeah. got nothin' better to do. follow me."

Going down a few hallways, dipping in and out of empty rooms, and overall generally just getting lost in the confusion of disaster that was the Mansion; you and Cotton almost get busted several times.  
Well, you do get busted twice, really, but.

Tick had been in a room with Tingles and Dream when Flower had absent-mindedly led you into it.  
The way he back-pedaled was actually sort of comical.. well, until Dream spotted you.

"THERE YOU ARE!! DON'T YOU KNOW THAT RUBEN IS SUPPOSED TO BE WATCHING YOU??"  
Welp, that caught Tick and Tingles attention.

"hey, kiddo! long time no see. met my bro yet~?"

"OH, A HUMAN!! HOW EXCITING!! AREN'T THEY RATHER TICKLISH, BROTHER??"

"yup. especially this one."

" _REALLY?!_ "

"Look, you two, as much as I'd _love_ to stay and.. no, not really. I've actually got to find Papyrus. I have a few questions."  
Cotton stood by your side firmly, unsure if you liked these two or not.

It didn't matter after a moment, as Tick snagged him off the ground by scooping him under the arms.  
..it _was_ pretty cute to see tiny Cotton sitting in Tick's arms.

Is that how you looked?  
Hopefully not. You probably looked a bit more ridiculous, since you were a bit bigger than Cotton..

Cotton's abrupt giggling intruppted your thoughts.

"aww, lookit 'im!! lil' guy is so cute..!"

"INDEED, BROTHER!! MAY I JOIN??"

"of course, bro; i've heard that this one in particular had a bad time around here."  
As you got a full view of Cotton being tickled by the two literal tickle monsters, Dream chuckled at your side.

"WOULD YOU LIKE TO FIND PAPYRUS WHILE THEY'RE BUSY, HUMAN?"

"And miss this? Not a chance. It's.. adorable. I don't think I've ever seen Cotton this happy."  
Dream looked at your soul for a moment before returning back to the show in front of you.

Cotton twisted in Tick's arm, trying to evade the evil, wriggling, tickly fingers that the two larger brothers attacked him with.  
His grin was spread across his face. Tiny little tears pricked at the corners of his squeezed-shut sockets as his giggled and shook with laughter. When Cotton tried to turn to escape Tick from tickling his stomach, Tingles would reach with both hands and get at his sides. Cotton tried to curl up, and Tick would drum his fingers down the back of his spine while Tingles gently scritched at his neck and under his chin, when he could. Cotton's wings were flapping around a bit helplessly. It was obvious he didn't want to hurt them, accidentally or not.   
He was just naturally that squirmy.

After Cotton had finally turned to a puddle of giggles, the two gave him a break from their gentle assault.

Tick bounced him a couple times before placing him back down beside you.  
Cotton stood on shaky legs, still giggling every few minutes and he clung to your leg for support.

"i would say it's your turn now, but.." Tick paused, and his socket turned a bright glowing magenta with his laughter emote, "you look like you're busy. would hate to keep such a _love_ -ly person with childish antics."  
A disappointed sound emitted from Tingles, but Tick patted his shoulder and passed by Dream, leaving the room.  
Tingles followed, though he paused to hug you and give you a grin before leaving.

"I noticed that Flower ran away."

"YEAH, THEY'RE STILL HUNTING HIM." Dream grinned.

"Tick didn't get him yet?"

"NOPE. TWO YEARS AND GOING."

"..wow. That.. that's _talent_ right there."  
Dream simply grinned up at you; rocking back and forth on his heels.

"YUP. YOUR POSITIVE EMOTIONS ROSE, YOU KNOW."

"Oookay..?"

"JUST SAYING! IT'S A NICE CHANGE. FOR A WHILE THERE, I DIDN'T THINK YOUR SOUL WOULD BE ABLE TO BE HAPPY AGAIN. ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU'VE GAINED LV."  
Another stab.

"Gee, thanks.."

"WELL.. THAT'S JUST HOW LV WORKS. YOU CAN STILL BE HAPPY.. BUT IT'S NOT.. NOT _REAL_ HAPPINESS, YOU KNOW?"

"Not really. But let's go find Papyrus." Picking up Cotton, who seemed to be doing better now, you followed Dream out.

***Wow. What freaks.**

"So, Chara just volunteered to get wrecked by them."

***What?! No way!! If they come around, you're getting control!!**

"Never mind. If they come around, I automatically get control, because Chara's so scared."

***You really want to die, don't you~?**

_'What was your first clue~?'_  
Chara went silent after that.

Dream only hummed in response.

"INTERESTING.. YOU REALIZE I'LL HAVE TO RELAY ALL OF THIS OVER TO CLASSIC, RIGHT?"

"Can you wait until I've finished with Papyrus first? I don't want to be in the dark anymore."

"SURE."  
As he opened the door for you, you seen Papyrus cooking in the kitchen area.  
..along with Classic, Red, Sci, Ink, and Error.

..this would be the second time you get caught.

"you guys think you can behave this time?" Classic kept his gaze on those two, despite having full view of you in the doorway.  
Ink sat in a chair to his left, and Error to his right.

Sci and Red sat across from them in a strange sort of lop-sided circle.

"yeah yeah; don't go near the human at any cost," Red scoffed and crossed his arms, shoving himself further into the back cushion.

"no experimenting on the human.."

"go on."

"no experimenting on the human under any circumstances."

"good. speaking of.." turning his attention to you, you have to give him credit for staying so professional since he kicked out Cotton.. it only made you hug him against you tighter. Cotton seemed to have the same idea.

"about time you two showed up. i knew the human pulled something, but cotton, does leather know?"

"I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU SEND ME BACK." The venomosity in his voice set off the entire atmosphere in the room.

"oh? that's uh, pretty bold of you to challenge me, pal."

Setting Cotton beside you, you grinned at Classic darkly.

"Take him away from me. I dare you. Take away the only one lifting my soul from falling down. Let me lead Gaster here, and destroy all your worlds."  
The silence that rang through didn't last long, when you picked up again after a moment of emphasis.

"Especially since you allowed him to come into direct contact with my soul from the first experimenting, didn't you, Classic? That not only did I nearly die.. but you almost killed G, too. He might hate me too. but at least I'm not the one who had to make the important decisions, right?"  
Classic inhaled sharply.

"okay. i get it. you don't like me-"

"No. My turn. Do not interrupt me. I'm so tired of people interrupting me. I never had a problem with you. It's the stupid decisions you make, that you're trying to keep the balance of the household, but honestly? There are more important things than the household. Like, I don't know, other universes that are currently falling apart. Or did you think I thought Gaster was only destroying my world? The reason that you're all here all the time, is that your AU's are getting destroyed-"

"you don't know a damn thing. don't even pretend-"

"Do _not_ talk to me like I'm a child-"

"then stop _acting_ like one! there could be a genocide route that we're trying to escape from for a few hours or days, until our part comes into play! you have _no idea_ what we have to deal with! what did you ever know, with your special, perfect human life above the surface?!" Classic had stood and was shouting at you, face dark and angry.

"..Chara."

***What?**

"Take over. I'm done."

***Okay, you might be suicidal, but I'm not.**

"that's what i thought. just, run away! that's all i've seen you do. go hide behind someone more powerful than you. sad that it's a demon child, huh?"

***Tempting, oh so tempting.**

Cotton had stormed over to Classic, and without a word, glared him down.

Papyrus was watching from the kitchen now.

Cotton raised his fist, as if to hit Classic.  
Glancing over at the fist, Classic turned his attention back to Cotton with a raised brow.

Cotton dropped the fist and looked down.

"I'M NOT EVIL LIKE YOU. I CAN'T HURT OTHERS THAT DON'T DESERVE IT."  
Classic looked like he just took quite the metaphorical hit.

Papyrus moved forward as Cotton passed Classic and headed towards him.

"MY HUMAN HAS A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU."  
As Papyrus picked up an emotionally exhausted Cotton, he glanced at you curiously.

You looked away for a second, happening upon Dream, who nudged you forward with the nonverbal tilting of his skull.  
Regaining your eye contact with Papyrus, you noticed that he didn't look at you with hate, or malice. He didn't show you pity or loathing.

He was just.. curious.  
A bit worried, but..

You felt something boring into you, and noticed that Classic was practically _daring_ you to try something.  
Taking a step back, you found yourself lost in angry, black sockets.. so full of distrust.. and-

Papyrus lifted you from the ground, taking you into the kitchen and setting you and Cotton both down on the counter.

"YOU MAY BOTH SPEAK TO ME WHILE I CONTINUE TO MASTER THIS DISH."

"What is it?"

"WELL, I'VE ONLY STARTED TO CREATE SOMETHING, WITH ONLY THE BASIC INGREDIENTS.. ANY REQUESTS?"

Cotton looked up at you, and you send him a quick glance in return.

"I've actually heard a lot about your spaghetti.. but.. I've yet to be able to try any.. if it's not too much to ask.."

"NYEH HEH HEH!! AS MUCH AS IT WOULD HONOR ME TO MAKE YOU MY FAMOUS SPAGHETTI, I WAS ACTUALLY HOPING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I.. _DO_ OCCASIONALLY.. WISH TO TRY SOMETHING NEW."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Cotton, what would you like?"  
You watched Cotton turn to Papyrus.

"COULD WE MAKE BURRITOS TOGETHER, PERHAPS?"

"NYEH, THAT SOUNDS REFRESHING!! LET US START!!"  
As Cotton jumped down and got a chair to help Papyrus cook, you were about to jump down yourself when Papyrus' voice stopped you.

"YOU WERE WISHING TO ASK SOMETHING, HUMAN..?"

"O-Oh, right.. um, I just.. do you know Undyne..?"  
The fork that Papyrus was holding dropped.

"WHY YES, I DO.. BUT, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, AS THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT UNDYNE'S NOW."

"Um, they were blue.. and had red hair. Spears. Sleeveless shirt, pants, boots.. about your height. I only seen one eye, I think they might be injured-?"

"AH, YES.. ONE OF HER SPARRING ACCIDENTS WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER. IT TAUGHT HER A VALUABLE LESSON."

"So, am I describing a version of your Undyne then?"

"YES, AS MUCH AS I'M UNDERSTANDING, ANYWAYS. DID HER SPEARS COME FROM ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS?"

"Yeah."

"AND HER MAGIC WAS GREEN?"

"Yup.. though one of them was yellow, and came at a different angle.."

"AH, YES; THE SNEAKY SPEARS, NYEH HEH HEH. SHE'S VERY CREATIVE."

"Yeah, she is.. she's also.. I dunno.. something just.. she seems to want to do whatever is the least selfish thing. The most beneficial, and just action."

"OF COURSE!! SHE FIGHTS FOR JUSTICE, AFTER ALL!!"

"..I like her already."  
You missed the surprised look Papyrus shot you.

"I'M GLAD YOU LIKE HER!! THOUGH, I HAVE TO ASK WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET HER, SINCE MOSTLY ONLY SKELETONS STAY HERE. IT MAKES ME WONDER IF THERE IS A MANSION FOR UNDYNE'S AND ALPHYS'..?"  
At the idea of a bunch of different fish woman, you snickered a bit.

Papyrus looked down at Cotton as he peered around the taller, then grinned up at him.

"ISN'T MY HUMAN THE CUTEST?"

"NYEH, VERY CUTE!!"

"Wh-what?"  
Cotton only winked at you before going back to cooking the meat.

"THE BURRITOS ARE ALMOST DONE, HUMAN!!"

"AND THE GARNISHES ARE VERY NEARLY READY TO BE SERVED!! BROTHER, OTHER BROTHERS, I HOPE YOU'RE HUNGRY AS WELL?"  
..some shuffling in the next room told you that they were eavesdropping.

Papyrus only grinned softly to himself and shook his skull, setting about the garnishes on the table so they could help themselves.

"WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE ON YOURS, HUMAN?"

"Oh, no, it's okay, I'm fine-"

"HUMAN, YOU HAVE TO EAT SOMETHING! THE GREAT PAPYRUS CAN'T ALLOW YOU TO GO HUNGRY."

"Why don't you let the others grab what they want first, then I'll see what's left? Really, I can wait."  
Papyrus turned to look at you, slowly.

Then he smiled.

"A VERY CUTE HUMAN INDEED."  
Your face really did feel like it was on fire this time.

"Seriously, can you stop that," burying your face in your hands, you ducked your head.  
A quiet nyeh caught your attention, and when you felt something warm placed on your lap, you looked down to see a plate with a burrito on it.

"HURRY AND EAT IT. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SOMEWHERE ELSE, AREN'T YOU? BESIDES, AN EMPTY STOMACH IS NEVER GOOD."

"At least I have the guts for it," grinning at him, Papyrus stopped in his tracks, back to you.

"HUMAN," looking back at you, you thought for sure you'd be scolded.  
Instead he ruffled your hair.

"YOU REMIND ME OF MY BROTHER." Another grin and he was off getting food to the others.

Cotton grinned from his spot, swinging his legs on his chair as he munched his own burrito.  
Letting out a huff of helpless amusement at him, you cut your burrito in half, taking the first part and biting into it.

It was..  
Actually, really fucking good.

After taking a few minutes to absolutely devour it, you were about to snag the second half, when you noticed Papyrus cleaning up.  
Glancing at the table, there were no more burritos..

Placing what's left of your burrito on the counter, you jump down before picking it up again and offering it silently to Papyrus.  
Glancing down at you, Papyrus took his hands out of the water and dried them before putting them on his hips.

"NOW HUMAN, DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO EAT YOUR BURRITO? WE WORKED REALLY HARD ON IT," gesturing to Cotton, who was just finishing his.

"Yeah.. but.. that's just it. You helped. You worked hard too.. I want to make sure that you get some, too. It's only because of you two that the rest of us got any food, and I appreciate that. Here. This is me, showing my appreciation of such good cooking skills. Much dedication.. though, it's apparent that you put dedication into everything you do, so.. I guess I didn't need to add that.."

The plate is gone from your hands, and then the ground is gone from your feet.  
Looking up at Papyrus as he hugged you, you hugged him tightly.

"..you remind me of my Papyrus.."

"DO YOU MISS YOUR PAPYRUS?"  
Going quiet, you simply look away as he set you back down.

Your face must have answered him, because his face fell as well.

"I'M SURE YOU'LL SEE HIM AGAIN."

"..to be sure, sir?"

"SURELY!!"  
He missed your reference.

That's fine.  
Hamilton probably didn't exist here. You snickered to yourself anyways.

"hey, c'mon. it's about time you went back."

"..yeah. okay. Hey, Papy? Err, Papyrus??"  
Papyrus smiled, and you supposed he was trying to be subtle, but it wasn't working..

..like, at all.

"YES, HUMAN?"

"Just.. just make sure you get to try your burrito, okay?"  
Walking over to Classic, Cotton on your heels, Papyrus answered.

"ALRIGHT. OH, AND IF CALLING ME PAPY MAKES YOU HAPPY, I WOULD BE HONORED BY THE NEW NICKNAME."

You were dying inside as Classic ushered you through the portal back to, presumably, Ruben's room.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Back in his room, you noticed the bara mafia member pacing back and forth.

He was a nervous, sweaty mess.  
Then he looked up.

"Oh, geez, sorry, I didn't mean to lose 'er-"  
Classic raised a hand to calm the poor guy down.

"it's okay. she does this regularly."

"GENO, IS THIS WHO YOU WANTED ME..? WHY ARE THEY FAMILI.. O-OWIE.. MY SKULL.. HURTS.."  
Turning around, you nearly start crying.

Pink?  
Does he..? Does he remember you..?"

Slightly hunched over and looking up at you between fingers, holding his skull tenderly..

 

"B.. BUNNY..?"


	23. The Point Where There's Too Much Fluff

Pink winced when he looked up at you, and you stared right on back.

 

In shock?  
Fear?  
..hope?  
You couldn't really tell which emotions you were portraying.

"P-Pink..? Do you.. know me..?"  
Sensing your tension, Cotton reached up to hold your hand, concern covering his face.

"I REMEMBER YOUR FACE.. AND FOR SOME REASON YOUR NICKNAME?? BUT YOUR NAME.. ELUDES ME.."  
Classic spoke up.

"her name is (y/n). the bond between lust and her must not have been the only bond, huh?"

"N-NO, NOTHING LIKE THAT, I ASSURE YOU!!" Pink hesitated, face turning his name, "..THOUGH, I COULD FEEL HOW FOND HE WAS.. IT LEAKED OVER THE BOND THAT THEY SHARED."

Turning to face you fully, his headache apparently no longer quite as awful, he looked at you pitifully.

"WHAT HAS CAUSED YOU TO GAIN LOVE, HUMAN..?"  
You can't meet his gaze, and Cotton's hand tightened, knowing it was a sensitive topic for you.

"Uh, whelp, I guess I'm uh.. just gonna go now.."  
Sans nodded at the sweating skeleton next to him.

"go on ruben. your kids are waiting. besides, bara should be back soon.. and in the meantime, pink can watch-"

"absolutely _not!!_ "  
All heads -mostly skulls- turned to the new voice.

You haven't heard him sound so angry since he put Red through the monitor that one time.

Lust glared at you with the force of a thousand suns.  
He.. really hated you, huh?  
You shouldn't be around Pink anymore, after all- you had gained LV. Not exactly something to play with.. especially around people you cared about..

"BROTHER, PLEASE-"  
Briefly switching his glare from you, Lust interrupted Pink.

"no!! i'm not letting that brat kill you _again!_ "  
Cotton made a confused noise.

"SHE'S NEVER KILLED HIM?? WHY WOULD-"  
Tearing his line of sight from his brother, you could _feel_ it as it bored back into you, entirely filled with disgust.

"once a demon, _always a demon,_ " he hissed.  
Cotton's wings poofed out aggressively in response.

"SHE'S NOT A DEMON!!"  
..but you were, weren't you.

Your heart sank.  
He.. didn't remember you.. but, now he associated you with Chara from his AU.. you were basically the same now though, weren't you? You chose to kill. You let this happen- encouraged it, even.  
Hell, you even shared the same body now.

"don't come near me or my brother ever again. even if i was _stupid enough_ to trust you before.." he chuckled darkly, "well, i won't make that mistake again."  
You could feel tears pricking at the corners of your eyes.. but he wasn't done yet.

"not to mention i apparently healed you- a selfish brat that only thinks of herself. tell me this: _why_ would i want to be around you? you're so.. ridiculously self-centered, as if no one else matters! do you think our lives are games?! stupid little stories you can edit as you see fit?? or," Lust paused, turned to look at you from the corner of his socket skeptically, "did you think you could manipulate me into being your little bestie? i'm actually _glad_ that gaster destroyed the bond. saved my ass- both our asses, right, papyr-"

"THAT IS _ENOUGH._ "  
Lust looked at Pink with a mild amount of surprise.

Pink hadn't shouted.  
Hadn't screamed.  
He had only grit his jaw, and spoke softly. Angrily.

Bitterly.

"YOU WANT TO SPEAK OF BEING SELFISH? WHAT ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW, BROTHER?"  
Lust looked like a dear in the headlights, then appeared betrayed.

"what? what do you mean, 'what am i doing?!' i'm defending-"  
Pink threw one arm up, gesturing at nothing in particular.

"AT WHAT PRICE? DO YOU THINK SHE IS IGNORANT TO THE PAIN SHE HAS CAUSED?"

"well i certainly don't think she _cares._ "

"I ASSURE YOU THAT SHE DOES. MORE SO THAN SHE EVEN _BEGINS_ TO LET ON. HOW COULD YOU FORGET?"

"i haven't forgotten what never happened."

"WHY DO YOU THINK YOUR SOUL HURTS, BROTHER?"

"nothing happened! nothing like _that!_ "

"I REMEMBER HER. WHEN YOU ARE READY, YOU WILL REMEMBER TOO."  
Lust scoffed and turned away, glancing over his shoulder at Pink.

"and where do you think you're going?"  
Pink had moved directly behind you, lifting you easily, just like the time Stretch had chased you to that secret meeting that you weren't supposed to see.

"TO OUR ROOM. YOU MAY COME BY WHEN YOU ARE READY TO ACT LIKE A MATURE ADULT."  
Obviously seething, and a bit hurt, Lust gave a frustrated shout and stomped into a portal that emitted loud noise and strobe lights.

You had a pretty good idea where he was.

"..whelp. we outta get going too, huh."  
It wasn't a question so much as a statement, but when Classic opened a portal somewhere you didn't recognize, both he and Ruben went through.

It was just Cotton, Pink and you, now.

"LET US BE GOING, YES?"  
You didn't reply as Pink set off, Cotton following close beside him; still holding your hand.

The trip back to Lust and Pink's room was a blur.  
You weren't paying attention to anything expect the thoughts in your mind.. they were drowning you.  
Chara had been unusually quiet, and if Pink had been talking you didn't notice.

You already knew you were selfish.  
This was just confirming it. That's all. Lust didn't do anything revolutionary.. so why did it hurt _so bad..?_ You haven't had insults that made you feel this way- and you've definitely been called worse.

 _'He's right.. I.. need to start planning. Need to find Error again. I should've stayed in my own world, everything would have been fine..! They.. they would have been fine. But here I am,_ fucking things up _again. I really am a screw up. A problem. I'm just.. a problem. And I'll never be fixed. A waste. Of everything. Space, air.. food..'_

Being set down on the bed somewhat brought you back.  
It was enough to make you aware of your surroundings.. but the scents and the memories made it impossible to even _pretend_ to have any sort of motivation.

Pink noticed.  
Cotton did as well, as he sat down beside you and gave you a short hug.

Pink started petting your head and running his gloved fingers through your short hair..  
Admittedly, they helped a little bit. Until you started crying. Pink sighed and sat down on your other side, pulling you into his lap and hushing you gently. It wasn't a loud, weeping, hysterical sort of crying, no. It was you staring off into nothingness, with tears flooding your eyes to the brim just to fall down your face in fat drops. You remained limp, in his arms. Why should you care? Why did you have to care..? Why were you always so _stupid_ enough.. to let yourself..

"I'm sorry, Bunny," Pink spoke softly into your ear, "I wish he could remember. He's just.. he's not ready yet, I'm sure.." Yet as his answer petered off, you could immediately tell he wasn't sure at all.

You couldn't bring yourself to call him out on it.  
You couldn't bring yourself to do anything at all.

"I'm sorry. I really am. It was no reason to treat you the way he did.. and for that, I apologize on his behalf," Pink nuzzled his face into your neck and took a deep breath.  
You thought it was weird for a second, until you felt something wet.

"P-Please.. don't fall down. I don't know.. if I could lose a friend right now. I'm sorry for being selfish, I just care about you a lot.. and your soul.." Pink hugged you tighter in his arms, squeezing you against his front.

Flicking your eyes up to him was the most you were able to do, but apparently Pink was happy enough with that.  
He leaned over, lifting the covers while Cotton helped you lay down and Pink tucked you in. Then they crawled in next to you and immediately started cuddling with you; both needing to try and give you some sort of comfort. As Pink kept you close to his chest, you could feel it humming.. magic, probably?  
Lowering your gaze, you decided it wasn't your business, and so it didn't matter.

_'Nothing matters.'_

When you finally fall asleep, you have dreams of better days.. though it could be debated that they were actually nightmares now.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Waking up, you find yourself trapped, arms and legs immobilized.

In actuality, you weren't actually trapped.. you were just in a strange sort of burrito blanket.  
..must have been-

"AH, YOU'RE AWAKE!! I'VE BROUGHT YOU SOME FOOD!!"  
Peering over the edge of the blanket from your spot on the bed, was Pink just coming in the room.

He was holding a plate of delicious-smelling food.. but even if your stomach was painfully empty, you forced yourself to roll over and face the wall.

"BUNNY," Pink stared to scold you, and you wanted to cry.  
To be fair, you wanted to cry every time he called you that. You didn't deserve such a sweet, heartfelt nickname anymore. You were just a murderer. A killer. A loser, and a freak, a-

Someone was shaking your shoulder.  
It was probably Pink.

"Please, do not be upset," you were right, "I just wanted to bring you some food.. if you're not hungry, we could get some later..? Oh, maybe we could even make it together!! What do you say, hm?"  
Pink was rubbing your back through the blanket.

You could only barely feel it, but it was the thought that counted, you supposed.  
..you didn't really _want_ to be comforted, though. You didn't deserve it. You didn't deserve anything good. Hell, even _before_ you were a murderer you didn't deserve-

 ***Are you done now? This is getting annoying.**  
You stay silent, both mentally and physically.

Pink sighs and stands, the pressure leaving the side of your bed.  
A few steps and the door closed. You immediately sit up.

It was time.

Trying to get out of the blanket was a chore, however, because it took you a good five minutes to do.  
Pink really knew how to ensnare his prey.

After you were free, you made it a point to think as little as possible to keep Chara in the dark; they probably wouldn't appreciate what you were up to.  
Besides, it was easier to act without thinking about it. Though, when you went to check under the door for Pink, you didn't even have to look under it to know he was there. Soft whimpering, peppered with tiny hiccups indicating that he was crying outside the door. He probably didn't want you to worry.. you were such a burden.  
But at least you wouldn't be for long.

As you made your way towards the clothes shaft, it surprised you a bit when you found it unlocked. Climbing in, you only winced once when it squeaked and groaned under your weight.

But boy did you regret it.

The door immediately swung open, revealing a semi-surprised Pink on the other side.  
There were still tear-tracks down his cheekbones.  
If the sudden entrance of the unwanted visitor didn't sink your heart, that sight sure did.

Instantly pulling on the rope, you barely cleared the window when the box was forced back down.  
As soon as there was enough room, a gloved hand worked its way between the roof of the window and the floor of the box, gripping the edge and forcing it further down. Within moments you were face-to-face with Pink, and he did not look pleased.  
Pink took your leg, right behind the knee, and started pulling you out; despite your better efforts. Then you were lifted and brought back over to the bed.

You weren't expecting for him to pin you down.

Pink held you in place by the upper arms, keeping you still as he studied your face intently.  
Feeling a bit exposed for some reason, you turn your face away uncomfortably.

"You don't need to be scared. You know I won't hurt you."  
Snapping your eyes back to him, he smiles down gently at you.

"So don't run away, okay? I'll keep you safe, as best as I can. Please.. trust me. It doesn't have to be much.. just a little bit. You're my sister, remember?"  
Leaning down to kiss the top of your head, you can't stop a small whimper.

..he really did remember.  
It was supposed to be impossible.. Gaster said..  
...

Gaster.  
You were going to make him regret his entire existence.

 _'..or kill yourself, whichever comes first.'_ you think, anger fading as quickly as it came.

"NOW THEN!! COTTON IS BACK, SO I THINK THAT WE CAN START THE DAY PROPERLY, RIGHT?"  
You weren't too fazed by the sudden volume increase as he let you up.

Then again, he probably wasn't at his usual volume, either..

"HUMAN!! I WAS RESEARCHING WAYS TO HELP HUMANS RELAX, AND A LOT OF THEM SAID HOT SHOWERS AND MASSAGES HELP A LOT!! I'LL BE BACK AFTER I SET UP YOUR SHOWER!!"  
..for the few seconds he was here, he looked so ecstatic.. he even had his little eye-stars again.

..could you say no to that..?

As you pondered it, you jumped when you felt hands on your shoulders.

"I WILL TAKE CARE OF THE MASSAGE, THEN~"  
You were about to protest, you were, but the words died on your tongue.

His hands felt _amazing._  
You melted under his attentions, letting him rub your neck, and the lower part of your scalp before working his way back down your back. You sat there while Pink moved behind you, getting more comfortable so that he could work a bit easier. His fingers didn't dig in painfully, but there was definitely some pressure. Honestly, you could have gone for a little more, but you were already getting more than you deserved. The palm of his hand seemed to press against the knots in your back, finding them with apparent ease before his fingers started to work them out. Pink followed down your spine slowly, going all the way down, a little past your pants line, and went back up again. He didn't touch your butt, or go anywhere near it, so that made you feel a bit guilty about getting a little nervous. Nevertheless, as his fingers worked down from your shoulders this time, they went from the muscles around your scapula to the muscles around the backs of your ribs. Taking his time there for a bit, he finally moved on to your obliques, which of course made you squirm a bit. You heard a small 'Nyeh heh' from Pink as he slowed down dramatically. Also his fingers increased the pressure, so his massage no longer was a problem. You were able to relax again, and-

"HUMAN, YOUR BATH IS READY!!"  
Certainly didn't expect Cotton to be bursting into the room.

After your little jump scare, Cotton gave you an apologetic look, and Pink moved his hands from you after giving you a reassuring pat.

"SORRY, HUMAN. WOULD YOU LIKE TO FINISH FIRST?"

"NO, SHE WAS ABOUT DONE ANYWAYS. GO TAKE A SHOWER NOW, BUNNY."

"Please.. don't call me that anymore.."  
Pink looked happy for a moment when you spoke.. then disappointed as he processed what you said.

"WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER WE CALL YOU, THEN?"  
You thought for a moment.

"Nothing."

"YOU MIGHT HAVE A HARD TIME FIGURING OUT IF SOMEONE'S TALKING TO YOU IF WE DON'T CALL YOU ANYTHING," Cotton began.  
You gave a small, demented sort of grin.

"No.. call me Nothing."  
Pink and Cotton both shared a concerned look.

"HUMAN.." Cotton hugged you gently, unsure how to respond but wanting to comfort you anyways.  
Pink had left your side at the bed.

"I WILL GO GET YOU SOME NEW CLOTHING SINCE YOU'VE BEEN WEARING THOSE FOR SOME TIME," Pink began, "IN THE MEANTIME, COTTON WILL MAKE SURE YOU SHOWER AND HAVE SOMETHING TO EAT." With that, Pink quickly left the room.  
You didn't catch the look on his face.

Oh well.

Gently tugging on your hand, Cotton managed to pull you towards the bathroom.  
It smelled like lavender inside the bathroom.. it kind of reminded you of Lust. Yet, even as the water was running, Cotton looked away from you awkwardly and pushed you towards the tub. Then he practically sprinted out of the room as he closed the door, his face entirely blue.

..you had forgotten how cute he was.

Cotton was always the first to help, and always the first to give you privacy.  
..you weren't used to that. Usually it was one or the other, but that one.. he was unique. Climbing into the shower, you mulled over how to get to Error. He made you a promise.. or, more-so a deal, you suppose. Grabbing some jasmine shampoo, you realized it had never been opened.  
..why was this here? Did Pink get it? You hoped so, because you weren't sure you could handle it if Lust had been the one. Moving on, you let your thoughts subside into nothingness as you continued your shower. There was a well-used bar of soap, that would explain the lavender scent. Seeing no other option, you used it anyways. He would probably be mad, but you couldn't bring yourself to care anymore. All you felt was the ghost of emotions.. well, emotion. Sadness would echo through your soul every so often, but.. other than that, it was safe. You were safe. But that would change soon. And it would be alright.

It would be alright.

Moving the curtain out of the way, you peer out of the shower and realized you didn't have a towel.  
Dripping wet, you simply squat down and let yourself air dry as your mind wandered. You honestly didn't know how much time had passed before you heard a knock on the door.

"HUMAN? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"  
You nodded once, before sighing in irritation at your own stupidity.

Of course you respond in the one way that wouldn't work.  
Idiot.

"Yeah," was the small reply you let out.  
You didn't really want to use your voice if you didn't have to.

You felt like shit.  
You just wanted to die. Was that such a bad thing?

"OKAY, JUST MAKING SURE!!"  
..at least he was happy.

Your lower lip trembled for a moment as you tried to shove the hurt back down.

***That isn't healthy, you know.**

_'Shut up. I didn't ask you.'_

***I've been watching you for a while now.. and you blame yourself for things that you can't really foresee. I mean, I _guess_ you controlled them, but only to an extent. You can't foresee outcomes in the future. You're not a mage.**

_'..no.. but I can heal.'_

***What? I thought he lied when he said that.**

_'Weren't you basically following me the entire time in our world?'_

***Yes.. and no. I could manage to get away from you when.. it suited me.**  
Something was amiss here.

They weren't letting on about something..

 _'..okay, Chara.'_  
With that, you both fell silent, into a kind of impasse.

You didn't want to talk about feelings, and Chara didn't want to talk about stalking you.  
A win-win, since you didn't care enough to know anyways.

It wasn't long after that, that Pink came in.  
A look of fear and surprise spread across your face as you curled more into a ball, trying to hide your naked self.

"I WOULDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU LIKE THAT, SISTER, DO NOT FEAR," he spoke as he set some clothes on the counter, "I JUST CAME TO BRING YOU SOME FRESH CLOTHES." With that and a small chuckle, he left.

Standing up, you realized your body had mostly dried, and your hair was only slightly damp now.  
You needed to fix it how you wanted, or it would dry like that. You stand, tentatively leaving the small safety of the tub, and move over to the clothes.

..they were all pajamas.  
The fuck?

Glancing at the door behind you, you realized you didn't get much of a choice.  
These were obviously not Pink's clothing, as you couldn't imagine him wearing such baggy clothes. You were about to panic when you came to the realization that they were Lust's clothes, when you noticed that they were actually a few sizes too large for Lust.  
..who did these belong to??

The black, baggy night shirt had a pun on it, which already confirmed your suspicions that it was from a Sans.  
It read, 'If you can still see my moon, you haven't given me enough space.' It was kinda snarky, as the moon covered nearly the entire shirt. It reminded you of Fell.  
..how was he doing, anyways? You shrug off the thought and pull on the shirt, not surprised when Pink forgot your bra. At least you had some comfortable underwear.. even if they were a salmon-color. Weird, but not an entirely gross color. Finally, you had soft sheep pajama pants. The pink background against the white jumping sheep was kinda cute.. if not a bit girly for your tastes. You couldn't complain though, you weren't leaving the bathroom without pants on. While none of it matched -which highly surprised you, considering Pink was a Papyrus; not to mention even _Lust_ gave you a matching outfit- it was surprisingly soft and comfortable.  
Fixing your hair as you preferred, it was just damp enough to do what you wanted before it dried properly.

Looking around, you realized all that was left was to leave the room.  
Squinting at the door, you locked onto the keyhole, and looked through.

Thank goodness for old doors.

Pink was sitting on the bed, talking with Cotton with a hushed voice.  
You could barely hear him, much less make out what they were saying. Even when you pressed your ear to the door. Slipping on your glasses, you decide to finally leave the room. You open the door..

..and were promptly swept up into large, thick arms.

"Heya, kiddo! It's been a while!!"  
The happy, large skeleton that you were being smothered against was familiar.. though you couldn't place why.

Letting out a small sound of confusion, you can't exactly look up, so you look over to Pink and Cotton.  
They both look completely calm, if not somewhat relieved. Cotton's face held more of a bittersweet look than anything, but you couldn't figure out why.

"What, didn't miss me, kid?"  
Finally being allowed to look up, you felt like your heart stopped for a moment.

It was Bara.  
He was supposed to be..?

"You.. you were in a genocide route, though..?"  
You weren't expecting him to smile at you, but the distressed look on your face made it hard for him to be upset.

"Yeah, it sucked. Always does.. but now I know everyone's safe. Besides, I came back to bring the good news, and I got more good news. What a day, huh?"  
You shook your head, squirming a bit to try and reach the ground.

He set you down obligingly, and you look back up at him solemnly.

"I gained LV."  
Bara stopped, and his eye lights immediately went down to your chest.

Besides a small sigh, he only looked back up with a smaller smile.  
..why wasn't he mad?

"Kid.. I haven't known you for long, but.. I know you're like my own, and unless something _really bad_ happened, you wouldn't hurt a fly. Wanna let me in on the secret?"  
Staring at him, you wanted to run away.. but there was no where to run.

Cotton had stood up worriedly, but you shook your head, staring down at the floor.

"I killed. That's all there was to it."  
You missed the sad look Bara gave you.

"I'm absolutely, one-hundred percent certain that isn't all," he paused, "but I'll let'cha off the cutting block for now, yeah?"  
You nodded, starting to tremble.

Why wasn't he mad?  
All of the other Sans' were.. all of the _intelligent_ ones, anyways. You needed to find Error, you _needed your blade-_

You were pulled into a hug, not leaving the ground this time as two strong arms held you close.  
You allowed it, though you didn't know if you could handle much more.

"..can I go talk to Error?"

All three faces around you shared a look of surprise; and one switched to alarm.

"Why do you need to go talk to Error, kiddo?"

"..he's been inside of my soul once. When I was Falling Down. I need to ask him.. a few personal questions."  
As a sense of understanding filled the room, you felt guilt run through your veins for your deceit.

"Alright, I'll bring you there. You're gonna be staying with me for a bit anyways, m'kay?"  
You nodded, shivering a bit.

He scared you still, but also made you feel so safe..  
It really was confusing.

"Okay, here we go," wrapping an arm around your shoulders, he nodded to the other two, "She'll be with me if you wanna find her."

Then you were gone.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Bara managed to get to the conference room, as you've come to start seeing it as.

After all, that's exactly what it reminded you of.  
All the important stuff happened here, and it usually seemed like meetings and whatnot. As Bara knocked on the door, it surprised you that Ink opened it.

"Oh, hello there, Bara. Glad you made it back." Ink nodded politely at you, which honestly, was more than you expected.

"Yeah, kiddo wanted to talk to Error about some personal stuff. Apparently saved her SOUL from Falling Down."  
Ink looked surprised, but quickly nodded and stepped aside to let you both in.

Inside was just as immaculate as ever, prim, proper and clean.  
Classic wasn't anywhere to be seen, but Error was sitting by the fireplace with a grumpy look on his face. Walking over to him, he looked you up and down before sighing.

"what d-do you want?"  
Glancing back at Bara and Ink, they seemed to take the hint and both stepped out, closing the door behind them.

After waiting a few minutes quietly, so that they wouldn't hear, you softly spoke.

"..we made a deal, sir.."  
Error quirked a brow at you.

"d-don't call me s-s-sir. secondly, you mean this?"  
Pulling out a box cutter blade from his inner jacket, you couldn't have been more pleased with his selection.

"this was the best i could get, so don't complain-"

"N-No, I couldn't possibly- it's great, thank you..!" You tried to stay quiet as possible, before you realized, "Sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off.."  
Error shrugged, looking a little surprised.

"whatever-r-r. if you get caught, you didn't get it from me."

"Yes, of course."  
Error handed it to you, and you quickly slid it into your..

..you didn't have pockets.  
Fuck.

Hearing a knock, you slipped it between the elastic of your pantie line and the skin of your hip.  
Error turned away, looking back at the fireplace with no fire as the two came in. You had barely pulled your shirt down, pretending you were fussing with it in anxiety. Bara smiled patiently at you, waving you over without a word as Ink watched you curiously.  
You turn back to Error and bowed your head.

"Thank you for your time, Error sir.."

"don't c-c-call me sir," Error growled, still not looking at you.  
You bowed your head again and quickly went to Bara's side.

"Sorry for interrupting, Ink. I'll get out of your.. er, not-hair."  
Ink grinned a little, which made you a little surprised.

He must have been in a really good mood before you showed up.

"..maybe you haven't changed.."  
Before you could ask what he meant, Bara lead you out of the room with one hand on your back; and Ink closed the door.

"Wanna head to my room or grab some grub first?" Bara smiled down at you.  
You shook your head, then realized you should _probably_ be a little more specific.

"I'm.. not hungry.."  
Bara watched you for a second before he nodded, then took you back to his room in a blink of an eye.

The first thing you noticed was that his bed took up most of the room.  
The bed had deep blue covers, and what looked like cotton white, well-worn sheets, as it wasn't made. Looking around, you noticed there was a dresser in the corner, and a door that probably lead to the bathroom. That was about it.

"Not much, I know, but a home away from home," Bara kicked off his shoes and flopped onto his bed, stretching out before looking at you curiously, "Get comfy, kid, I don't bite."

 _'No, but you growl like a mofo,'_ you thought to yourself after your last interaction.  
Another thing you noticed, was that this was one of the rooms with no clothes shaft.

That kinda fucked you over in the long run.  
Shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other, you refuse to make eye contact with the skeleton watching you silently. You heard him groan as he sat up, and you yelped when your chest turned blue, lifting you over into his arms. As soon as he caught you, the blue magic went away, and he over-dramatically pretended that you had had enough momentum to knock him back over. With an 'oof,' he flopped down again, bringing you with him as Bara threw up his legs, and let them fall again.  
Probably for extra effect.

"..that was entirely over-dramatic, and you know it," peeking up at him from your spot on his chest, he grinned back at you.

"Yeah, probably. But it made you smile, huh?"

"No," you huffed stubbornly.  
He raised a brow at you.

"Oh _reeeaaally,_ "  
..you didn't like that tone.

As Bara let go of you, he moved to poke and prod at your sides.  
Nothing too strenuous, though it did cause you to squirm and squeak, shoving your face into his chest to hide any signs of a grin. Balling his shirt into your hands, you refuse to give him the satisfaction he was looking for.

"C'mon, kid, all I want is a little smile. Please..?" Nuzzling the top of your head, he pulled you up enough to reach your neck and blow a raspberry into it.  
Scrunching up your shoulders and tilting your head, you let out a loud squeal.

As Bara pulled back, you looked up to glare at him, when you felt him wrap his arms around you again; stopping his attack.  
..you had looked up at him.

_Fuck._

"Theerree we go, that's what I was looking for," Bara chuckled underneath you, and you could feel yourself bouncing a bit from his chest and stomach rising and falling.  
..this only made him laugh more.

It wasn't long before he was full-out laughing, and you were bobbing up and down on top of him.  
His deep, rumbling sort of laughter was a bit contagious. Though you refrained from laughing with him, you could feel your smile getting bigger. After a few minutes, he rolled over, so that you could lay on the bed beside him, and his strangely deep giggles eventually left.

"Heh heh, sorry, kiddo.. that's always funny to me. Just watching my kids face as they're trying to hold on, it never fails to make me laugh. Heh," sighing, Bara let himself relax, moving the arm that was under you to let you get comfortable.

Only holding you with one arm now, he peered down at you from half-lidded sockets.

"I think it's time for a nap now, yeah?"  
You just woke up a little while ago.. but it did seem like you were already tired again.

Nodding, you snuggled next to him before you realized what you were doing.  
Immediately back pedaling, you were about to apologize profusely when Bara wrapped a blanket around the both of you with the arm that had been draped over your back.. which is where it returned to after he grabbed the blanket.

As the words died on your lips, you supposed that for now it wouldn't hurt to just.. show how weak you were. It wasn't like they didn't already know. The exhaustion spread across your face, with the ghost of sadness hiding in your eyes. As you lay there, you found that Bara was drifting off to sleep, and you were unable to. You watched him for a while, waiting what seemed like an eternity just to make sure he was asleep. His sockets were shut, and his face held that of peace. His nasal cavity would twitch every so often, which made your mouth quirk at the edges whenever it did. Even you had to admit that it was kinda cute.

Slowly, to make sure he wouldn't wake, you sit up..  
..and immediately get pulled back against him.

Bara peeks down at you with one socket, mumbling something that you couldn't quite make out, and starts rubbing your back.  
You notice that he's trying to target that spot that makes you relax, but even though he found it a couple times, the thickness of the blanket cancelled out any effects he might have had. Still.. you supposed you could pretend it had worked, for his sake. As you start to force your muscles to relax, you realize you keep letting yourself tense back up. After the fourth time, you feel Bara move his arm. Under the blanket it goes, adjusting the blanket again to make sure you were covered -as he had accidentally moved it from your shoulders- and wrapped around you again. You felt yourself tense more than before as you knew that now, you didn't stand a chance.

And you were right.

The moment his fingers found what he was looking for, you could feel that.. weird sort of pleasure spreading across your back, easing your muscles.  
It was still strange, how it made you relax so easily. It really did remind you of euphoria. A simple, yet strong joy that came from that one spot.. you shuffled closer into Bara's chest, curling up against him as his hand followed you. It was still massaging your back, occasionally switching from one relaxation 'button,' as he had described it before, to the one in the symmetrical spot on the other side of your back. It had taken a few minutes to notice his chest was rumbling slightly; probably due to the effects you were enduring. The rumbling and the gentle touches only helped lull you into a deeper sleep than you were used to.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

You woke to the feeling of your stomach clenching with pain, and the sound of growling from your abdomen.

"Well well, good morning, sunshine!"  
You whimpered and pulled the blanket back over your head.

"Oooh no you don't, c'mere," with that, the blanket was pulled away, and you were going to glare at him until you were lifted from the bed and tossed into the air.  
..your face said it all.

"Heheh, weren't expecting that, were you?" Bara grinned down at you smugly, as you sat in his arms, a little dumbstruck.

"I am?? Not five??"

"Nah," he snickered, "But waking up isn't the easiest thing, I should know. Sometimes we need a little.. _pick-me-up._ " Bouncing you in his arms, you understood.

"That was soooo baaaad," you groaned.

"You're smiling though, and this time I seen it~"  
Huffing, a thought occurs to you.

"..why do you care if I'm smiling or not? It's not really.. any of your business."  
Bara set you down, opening the door and leading you out.

"If my SOUL were falling down, I would appreciate all the distractions I could get. And I mean.. laughter is the best medicine."

"..I don't understand."

"Well, it's mostly just a saying, but I think I heard that science has proved-"

"No, no," pausing, you sigh, "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. Please, continue."  
Looking at you, trying to read you, Bara nudges you a bit.

"It's okay. I was about to go onto science-y, technical stuff. Boring, amIright? But hey, what didn't you understand? I'll help you figure it out, if you want."  
You stay quiet for a few moments.

"I.. don't understand.. why everyone -hell, why _anyone_ \- cares about my soul Falling Down.. it's not.. it's just not something that's important.."  
Bara stopped walking, placing a large hand on your shoulder.

"A SOUL is the most important thing a person has," he started, "It's their everything. To lose that.. is to lose your existence."

"But that's exactly what I want.. and no one seems to care. And it hurts."

He didn't move.  
Didn't say anything. Then, you found yourself in his arms, and you didn't react. Why did you tell him that? He didn't.. he didn't need to know. Now you just burdened him, and made him sad. You're so stupid.. it's no wonder they didn't care what you wanted, you were already so selfish-

"Kid.. I'm so sorry," Bara knelt down, holding you at arms length and looking at you with a truly distressed look that caused your soul to hurt, "I can't make it better.. but I'll do my best to help the pain go away. Okay..? We care about you.. we really, really do. Shit, kid, I just.." holding you close again, he trembled a bit.

"C'mon," he said, after a few moments, "Let's go get some food, huh?" Standing up again, he took your hand and the lead.  
..but you didn't move.

"..not hungry."  
Bara watched you carefully.

Secretly, you wondered if he knew.  
Then he smiled and picked you up, to which you made a displeased noise in the back of your throat.

"I know someone you wouldn't mind hanging around.. should be in kitchen twenty-two today."  
With that, there was a change of scenery, and you were standing in a kitchen.

..well, Bara was standing in the kitchen, and he promptly set you down next to the other skeletons.

"OH, HUMAN!! IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN!! HOW ARE YOU FEELING??"  
When you didn't respond, Bara spoke up next to you.

"She's a bit out of it today, Papyrus. Maybe cooking with you again will help?"

"WHAT?! _WE_ ARE COOKING IN THE KITCHEN!! THIS DISGUSTING HUMAN CAN'T BE HERE TO RUIN THE FOOD!!"  
Ah yes, a faint smile graced your lips as you recognized Razz.

"RAZZ, THAT WAS VERY RUDE!! YOU SHOULD APOLOGIZE!!"

"At least he speaks the truth," you defended him quietly.  
Papyrus looked back at you with surprise, while Bara seemed a bit sad.

Razz just looked at you with a sneer, as though he didn't trust you any more than he was allowed to kill you.

"..I SEE. HUMAN, ARE YOU NOT FEELING WELL..?" Kneeling down in front of you, Papyrus moved to put a hand on your forehead, but you took a step back.  
Turning away from Papyrus, you looked up at Bara.

"I want to go back," you pleaded with him, to which he only shook his skull.

"You gotta have something to eat, kiddo. That gut of yours must be pretty upset if it woke me up twice last night."  
Embarrassment flooded your face, and you ducked your head a bit.

"Oh.. s-sorry.. but I'm not hungry."  
Papyrus spoke up, having been watching you more intently than made you comfortable.

"..RAZZ. WE MUST MAKE THE BEST DISH WE CAN FOR THE HUMAN."

"WHAT?! NO!! THEY'LL RUIN THE FOOD JUST BY _BEING_ HERE!! THEY CAN GO-"  
Turning to face the other, Papyrus continued sternly, before Bara could.

"IF YOU'RE NOT UP TO THE CHALLENGE, YOU CAN LEAVE THE KITCHEN."  
Razz seethed for all of five seconds, glaring between you and Papyrus, who had placed his hands on his hips.

"FINE!! BUT ONLY TO PROVE THAT THE HUMAN CAN'T RUIN DISHES THAT _I_ MAKE!!"  
Papyrus clapped his hands together, clearly happy with the turnout.

"NYEH HEH!! THEN IT'S SETTLED!! HUMAN, PREPARE TO HAVE YOUR TASTE BUDS TANTALIZED FOR A TASTY TREAT!!"  
..you weren't sure how to react to that, but you couldn't exactly leave either, since Bara was still blocking the archway.

"Go sit at the table, kid. You're alright."  
You stare at him stubbornly.. then deflate and go sit at the table.

You were tempted to sit on the floor, just to spite him, but all of the fight in you disappeared.  
Between Razz and Papyrus talking to each other -well, more like yelling- and Bara throwing in a few puns every now and then, you weren't really paying attention. Your head rested on the table, squishing the side of your face a bit as you stared off into nothing.. as you were rather prone to doing, lately. You thought that some sort of verbal fight had broken out at one point, probably due to one of Bara's puns, but you weren't minding the conversation, so you couldn't be entirely sure.

It only seemed like a short time before Papyrus had set a plate in front of you, to which you had simply turned away from.

"HUMAN, PLEASE, RAZZ AND I WORKED VERY HARD ON THAT.. WOULD YOU NOT TRY SOME, PLEASE??"

"..I know you worked hard on it. Doesn't that mean it should go to someone who actually deserves it..?"  
There wasn't even a moment of hesitation.

"I THINK YOU DESERVE IT."  
You stiffen in your spot, eyes widening a bit.

Papyrus.. was the most.. he was an innocent.  
Perhaps he didn't understand what he had said..? That had to be it. Surely someone as great as him wouldn't have said something like that otherwise.

"..surely you don't understand what you've just said. I forgive you for not knowing," clenching your fists in your lap, you don't allow yourself to cry.

"..HUMAN," Papyrus sighed, "IF YOU TRULY DO NOT LIKE IT, I WOULD NOT MAKE YOU EAT IT.. BUT WILL YOU NOT TRY JUST ONE BITE?? FOR ME??"  
..ffffuck.

Of course he would play that card.  
..he's more intelligent than he lets on, you swear.

Turning to look at the food, it appears to be some sort of Mexican dish.  
Maybe enchiladas? You weren't sure. Still, you pick one up, and gently bite into it..  
..then spit it back out with a small cry of pain, because the inside of it was still hot as all hell.

"OH.. WELL, A DEAL IS A DEAL, I SUPPOSE."  
Whimpering in response, you cover your mouth, unable to form words at the moment.

"Hold on, Papyrus, I think it's just too hot. It might have burned her," Bara nodded towards you, and Papyrus looked a bit guilty.

"I APOLOGIZE, DEAR HUMAN, I DID NOT MEAN FOR YOU TO GET HURT. WOULD YOU LIKE SOME ICE??"  
Shaking your head, you shakily reach down for the piece you spat out and pop it in your mouth again.

Now that the insides had cooled down, it was actually pretty good.  
Not as good as the burritos you had made together, but still. You silently, carefully, ate the rest of your enchilada.

"Papyrus, could I please have a napkin..?"

"OF COURSE, HUMAN!!" Gracefully sweeping over to the other side of the kitchen, he snagged a napkin and bought it back to you, "BEHOLD, _TWO_ NAPKINS!!"  
..you couldn't help but smile, just a tiny bit.. he just looked so proud of himself.

Using the first napkin, you cleaned up your mess on the table.  
Seeing as most of the meat had fallen out, you needed to use the second napkin to clean up the rest, before you wiped off your mouth and fingers with it. Standing, you move to throw them away and Papyrus looks at you with surprise.. and a mild amount of concern.

"HAVE YOU SATIATED YOUR HUNGER, HUMAN??"  
You gave him the softest, most encouraging smile you could muster.

"Of course. You and Razz made it. How could I not be satisfied?"  
Papyrus blushed and fiddled with his gloves, letting out a not-so-quiet 'NYEH' while Razz simply looked anywhere than at you while he crossed his arms.

"Thank you guys again.." walking over to Bara, you looked up at him, "Do you want some..? I don't think they'd mind sharing, right guys..?"

"OF COURSE NOT!! WE WERE JUST MAKING THEM FOR A COOKING LESSON!! SOME VERSION OF SANS WOULD EAT THEM, I'M SURE!!"  
Bara chuckled at his response.

"Great, mind if we bring some with us? I have quite the appetite, and I'm sure the kid'll be hungry later.." looking down at you from the corner of his sockets, you could tell that your kind words hadn't sidetracked him.

"YES!! I'LL WRAP SOME UP FOR YOU!!" As Papyrus snagged a container, Razz got the wrap and handed it to Papyrus, who thanked him and loaded some enchiladas into the bowl.  
Handing it over to Bara, he gave a megawatt grin to the both of you.

"PLEASE ENJOY THEM!! AND PERHAPS COME BACK LATER?? I THINK WE'LL BE COOKING SOME SORT OF DESSERT!!"

"OR DON'T. THAT WORKS TOO."  
Papyrus squinted at Razz, who simply looked back at Papyrus with a smug sort of grin.

That was the last thing you seen as you were taken back to Bara's room, holding onto his jacket from the sudden change.  
He laughed at you a bit when you released him. Then he offered you another enchilada, to which you turned away from, and he tsked.

"Don't make me have to feed you too, kid. You know I will," wriggling the food at you, you didn't doubt that he was crazy enough to do so.  
You took it, and ate it slowly, glaring at him the entire time and he sat on the edge of the bed, pulling out his one for himself.

"Oh my, so anger. Such fierce."  
You snorted, choking on a bit of meat before his free hand thumped you on the back a few times.

"No need to get so _choked up,_ kid, I'm always this nice."  
You moved away from him, into the corner with your back turned to drive your point across.

 

He simply chuckled at you, and continued eating.

**Author's Note:**

> Seriff belongs to ShadowFoxDemon27; and Meraki belongs to UltimateGamer10.  
> There are your credits.
> 
> I'm done here.
> 
>  
> 
> ..actually, I claim the nickname Rabbit, thanks.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * ["Hey, do I know you?"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14765609) by [smthn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/smthn/pseuds/smthn)




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